Top shelf has several meanings. High quality liquor. High quality books or magazines. Elevated hockey shot on goal. I guess the actual words are an accurate description of the meaning, things you would find on the top shelf usually denote higher quality or desirability. Why? Because shop owners make it harder to steal things, so they put it on the top shelf. I guess it could also be placed up high to garner the most attention. That would make sense, too. I guess it depends on your perspective, figuratively…and literally.
I came to understand the literal meaning much later in life than you would expect. For example, just the other day, I was walking down the sidewalk and THWACK! What the? Tree branch taking off the top of my skull. No matter the amount of cursing I directed at that damn tree ent I knew it didn’t magically move at the last minute to swipe my head. I just wasn’t looking up. More accurately, I was watching the ground in front of me.
That’s how it’s always been. I tend to gaze downward. Walking, running, biking, sleeping, all of it down. No one really cares, no one really notices. At least if they do, no one says much of anything about it. So I’m guessing either it’s not a big deal, or it’s so weird that no one has the heart to tell me.
So what’s the big deal? Well, I noticed this a while ago, like years ago. And I even did an experiment that was literally – Look up, you idiot. Yes, I reminded myself to maintain a zero-degree head tilt at all times. What did I find?
I tripped over more stuff. If you can’t see that stupid crack in the sidewalk, you’re doomed. What else? I did notice more things at the book store. Books that I’d never noticed were now more prominent. Same with random stuff at Target. I even noticed the actual “top shelf” items at markets and liquor stores. It’s fun to realize there’s a $100 bottle of whiskey right above the pork rinds and tater skins.
That’s it, really? No life altering epiphanies? Not really. Like I said, I wasn’t exactly staring at my shoe laces all the time. I just wanted to avoid stepping in dog crap rather than exchange awkward head nods and half-smiles with strangers.
So with my natural inclination to watch the ground I walked on, I thought a little about why that may be. And it may be from growing up in the household that grew up in. Which was simple, don’t look at your elders square in the eye. It’s disrespectful. It’s equivalent to eye-f’ing your parents. You know what you get when you mad-dog your mom or dad? Don’t do that, it’s bad for your health.
Ah, but there is a message here, as convoluted as it took to get here. Eye contact. Always look someone in the eyes when you’re talking to them. More importantly, when they’re talking to you. Especially if it’s your boss. Looking down is weakness, it’s not good form, makes you untrustworthy, bad bad bad.
How do you rectify this? In the workplace, you’re a shady, untrustworthy peon if you can’t maintain eye contact. At home, you best get ready for an ass whooping if you’re busy staring at someone. And the answer is…rectify if best as you can. I don’t stare at my parents when I talk to them, and I try to increase my eye dancing at work. Fact is, I will always defer to respect, I will bow my head and avert my gaze unconsciously, and if that makes me untrustworthy then those I work with will think what they think. I can say I pride myself in being the exact opposite, trustworthy to a fault, and if folks don’t pick up on it, so be it.
Back to the top shelf. It doesn’t hurt to change it up and inhale more of the world around you. If you’re always staring at the ground, maybe you should take a look up top. If you’re always busy sniffing the air up there, maybe you can take some time to look out below. Metaphor, yes. Truth, yes. In the end, I smacked my head from looking down. I also stepped in crap looking up. Sometimes, the universe doesn’t care where you’re looking, it’s still gonna pull its prank on you. Best thing to do no matter what, laugh along.
Coming up: The universe conspires against us