The Competition

when i delivered newspapers they said i was too slow
when i was a barista they said i made lousy foam
when i worked in retail they said i was a slob
much too dumb for school and much too lazy for a job

so i rode my bike like lightning
and i made cappucinos that would make the angels sing
took two showers a day and i dressed up like a princess
shook my fist in my own face and said "i'll show you who's the best"

i wrote the kinds of papers teachers hang up on their walls
i was employee of the month in seven different shopping malls
and one time, playing football, i pulled the tendons in my leg
to prove that i was tough i hopped on one foot
and finished up the game

i thought if i succeeded i'd be happy and they'd go away
but first thing every morning i'd still wake up and i'd hear them say
"you're fat, ugly and stupid, you should really be ashamed
no-one will ever like you, you're no good at anything"

and sometimes i'd rise to the challenge
but other times i'd feel so bad that i could not get out of bed
and on the days i stayed in bed i sang and sang and sang
about how crappy i felt, not realising how many other people would relate