What Kind of Person Are You?

What kind of person are you?

(That's the only question.)

Nick asks me, "Don't you ever wonder if you're truly capturing how people are? Because don't most people Hawthorne all over the place when they see a camera?"

I shake my head. "Hawthorning's more specific. You're mixing it up with general reactivity."

"Ah." He nods, rubs his chin, looks away.

"But to answer your question, I do sometimes think about that, but I don't doubt anyone's honesty. That would defeat the purpose of it all, don't you think?"

"I guess so." He crosses his ankle over his knee, holds onto it. "So."

"So. You ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

"Well, alright then."

He gives me a nod, takes a deep breath. "When I was little--four, or so--I learned this song for church. It was just all the Old Testament books, and then all the New Testament books. I had a great memory. Still do, actually.

"My dad's a minister, and so he asked if I'd want to perform this little song in front of the congregation. Even then, I had a hankering to perform in any capacity I could. I always have, actually. So I said, 'Yes,' of course.

"Looking back, I sometimes wonder why I was even asked. I mean, after all, most teenagers, adults could have that memorized. So it just seems like someone wanted to show me off.

"Well, so, I performed it. And my mom and I are waiting on the steps outside after church and this member of our congregation--I think his name was Ed--compliments me on the song, says how I did real well.

"I told him, 'I know.'"

Nick's grin and blush occur almost simultaneously. "My mom corrected me right then, told me I was rude and the proper response when someone compliments you is, 'Thank you.' So I'm much more polite, now."

He shakes his head. "But no, yeah. That--the 'I know'?" His eyebrows raise. "That's what kind of person I am."