Yes, the world needs hobbits for more than capital-H heroes. I am not a hobbit, I cannot be a hobbit, and in a world where everything was fine and dandy with no need for production of Great Art or whatever I would probably kill myself, because I just couldn't deal.
That said, I recognize my utility is very limited.
I'm sad today because the kids were little nightmares and then I had to wait half an hour at the bus stop with someone who decided I needed to be interrogated about my ethnicity. Here's how it went:
(I was reading)
"Are you from Israel?"
"No."
"Are you from Germany?"
"No."
"Are you from the Americas?"
"Yes."
"Are you Jewish?"
". . . No."
"You look Jewish."
"I'm not Jewish, sir."
"But you look Jewish."
*sigh*
I've had a similar occurrence on the bus before - on the very same bus route a
French woman was threatened with having her breasts cut off for singing in French.
The 901 Airport - Frankston via Dandenong Bus Route in Melbourne is not one any sane person wants to catch - it's really quite dangerous. It's basically a bus route that does a tour of the worst suburbs in Melbourne before finishing at Melbourne Airport. I used to have to catch it daily - and not a day went by that I wasn't interrogated or questioned for my 'chink eyes' or for 'being a fuckin' ranga'.
"Hey, where are you from?"
"uh, I'm from Melbourne"
"But you look like a wog."
"Yeah, I'm from Melbourne."
"What suburb, mate? I'm from Hampton Park." (One of the scummiest suburbs in the state)
"err... I'm from Caulfield." (Not where I'm from. Lied to protect identity.)
"Oh really, so if you're from Caulfield does that mean you're a Jew?"
"Not everyone from Caulfield is a Jew."
"How come you have chink eyes?"
"My guess is as good as yours."
"How come you're a ranga if you're a Jew?"
"It's not unheard of. Also, I'm not Jewish."
"Where didja come from originally?"
"My family are Dutch."
"Ah, a clog wog. Me family are English, convicts from way back, hahaha."
"I don't think I have any convicts in my family."
"If you're a clog wog, how come you have chink eyes?"
"I don't know."
Etc, etc, etc. Thankfully, I don't catch that bus anymore.