Quirks

Inside every person
An unknown factor lurks;
Sometimes you may never learn
About these hidden quirks.

TV shows poke fun at some,
Like toothpaste caps left off;
But although we laugh at that,
We cannot always scoff.

Think about yourself a bit –
What strangeness would you claim?
Bottle caps left upside down
Is one of mine I’ll name.

I like things in order,
Right side up and lined up straight.
Friends once teased me with a gift
Designed to aggravate.

They pasted rows of bottle caps
The wrong way, on a board.
I found it amusing and
I joined them as they roared.

It’s okay if you’re aware
The way your quirks are viewed.
You can join the laughter with
The proper attitude.

But some peculiarities,
Like terror in a crowd,
Should not be joked about
And due respect must be allowed.

Sometimes you encounter one
Whose weirdness rocks your boat.
Then you must decide if
You must leave to stay afloat.

I can cut some slack at times
And dance around a quirk,
Only if the benefits
Are worthy of the work.

Right now I am wondering
Which way to tip the scales.
I’m trusting that my gut concurs
With what result unveils.