Dextro vs. sinistre.
Lately when we watch TV I notice who is left-handed, especially left hook like me. I could never do calligraphy because the heel of my hand would smear the ink.
Dad was a leftie but his teachers beat him into submission as a child. Poor Dad. I am ambidextrous. I don’t know if I can swing a baseball bat anymore but I could choose which hand to lead with. I was the anchor of Lefties, Inc. in college and we made it to the playoffs. That was because none of the other teams showed up at the games.
Whenever I had roommates or went to work everyone was left-handed. Is it like menstrual cycles? All the gals have it? I was going to be the cook and we all had jobs the first day in our new college apartment. I asked to be seated at any end of the table and they all said “I’m leftie!”
Anyway, when my school said they were going to make me be dextrous rather than sinister, my dad stepped in and said “NO!” You let her be what she is going to be and do not punish her for who she is. Two of his four children are lefties.
I played the violin and was encouraged to play golf right-handed. I can only use scissors with my right hand. I tried to tell my teacher that when she handed me these snub-nosed, green rubber-wrapped leftie scissors. I’m sure my parents had to get into that one as well.
I cook, a lot. Knives are leftie. I don’t have or need one yet but Japanese sushi knives only cut on one side, for righties. A leftie chef told me 20 years ago that a leftie knife must be ordered specially.
As a leftie, never buy a $2 supermarket peeler because it’s only sharpened for a rightie. Go for OXO and it’s sharpened on both sides so that carrot can be peeled by you or your significant other.
Years ago I went to a Leftie store and there was very little that was useful to me. They wanted to create a “club” of us and that’s not what I want. I do not want a club and I don’t want a Lefties Rights (pun intended) revolution.
In my fifth decade I just don’t want children to be ridiculed for a side of the brain they use more than the other. Yes, we’re more artistic. Sinister? I think not. Please teach your children well (I owed you that CSNY for a horrifying version of that song when I was 12) and do not make them use their right hand if they prove left-handed.
Yes, after decades I play the guitar as a beginner, but I’ve a really nice guitar. I play it right-handed. Dee
Cooking with Dee 