I realised it when grocery shopping…
One of the two major chains had a special – two 8 roll packs of toilet paper for $9.00. At first I thought ‘bargain’. Then, after closer inspection, I turned up my nose, and made a bee line for the dedicated toilet paper aisle, and was promptly rewarded. There it stood. One 8 pack of extra-long toilet paper – equaling 16 rolls, also $9.00. THREE PLY. A MASSIVE WIN. I caught myself smiling, and I might have done a little fist pump (perhaps not though, more for story-telling). Yes, that’s right, I’m a 3 ply toilet paper girl, and I will not compromise on this fact. Ever.
And, this soon had me thinking – what else do I refuse to compromise on? What else am I precious about? That I flat-out, heels-dug-in, refuse to sign up to? There’s not much seemingly. I’m happy to buy no-name products; I can rough it camping; I’ve shared time with ‘interesting’ (read ‘gross’) company, and, I’ve worked crappy jobs. But fewer than 3 ply toilet paper? That to me is the equivalent of waterboarding. Absolute cruelty.
I surveyed my family and friends to find out what they won’t compromise on. Fiancé, not surprisingly, offered “Tyres.” He’s been looking at them for the last week – at the shops, on the computer, on his phone, in private. They’re his porn, which as far as I’m concerned is quite brilliant. Molly, our dog, well, she refuses to eat My Dog from the can – she’ll only eat it from the individual (and far more expensive) sachets. There’s no fooling her. I’ve tried.
My dad – he refuses to eat cooked tomato in restaurants – he wants it uncooked, and infamously purses his lips if served opposite. My brother does a wonderfully entertaining impression of Dad’s face and swearing. One girlfriend will not buy togs with padded bra bits, even if there’s no other option. Another will not cross the road, no matter how completely abandoned it is, or urgent the situation, unless the little green man is flashing. One friend will not leave home without his mobile fully charged – no compromise, whereas another offered ‘wine’ as her response to my enquiry, without any explanation. Rightly so.
And these little quirks, these standards and refusals, I feel, are what make us, us. Yes, they might make us momentarily difficult and odd, but as they say, if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. And, I stand for comfort. My jiggly, pale backside, despite its ‘interesting’ appearance, deserves it.
What will you not compromise on?
Image credit: Kathryn Sprigg
