A reader asked writers
why they often describe
their heroes’ hands as ‘calloused.’
She’d searched on Google
for calloused hands
and found the photos
grotesque.
Being a writer,
I have a callous
on my third finger
where my pen rests.
It isn’t grotesque.
It isn’t rough.
It is merely a bump
I earned through the repetitive act
of writing.
But I haven’t taken a photo
of it
and posted it as an example
of a callous.
Why?
Because it isn’t extreme enough.
Only extreme examples
are usually posted,
Only extreme examples
come up on searches.
I keep that in mind
when I’m doing any sort of research.
People post extreme examples,
not the average example.