THE BALLOON MAN

Worth a buck? The World's Smallest Woman

from The Raleigh News Observer

Submitted by brookecain on 10/22/2011

The World's Smallest Woman is not only real and alive (and really small), she's also kind of charming and a little sad.

I went in to check it out right after Jasmine, 20, from Selma exited. I got the lowdown from her before heading inside myself.Was it a live woman?"She's not just alive, she's lively!" Jasmine said. "She may be tiny sitting in that little box, but she's just as real as me and you." (Forgive my skepticism, I had just been here.)Was she little?Jasmine: "I could pick her up like she was my little niece. I've never seen anyone that small."What's she like?"She's humble and nice," Jasmine said. "She'll tell you all about her life, anything you ask."You mean, you talk to her?

Suddenly, I wasn't sure I wanted to go in. Finally, something at the fair that scared me. I was used to gawking at giant horses, five-legged sheep, a ridiculous spider girl, and fake, mummified chupa cabras. Would I feel like a jerk facing a live person with feelings? (Answer: yes)

But I went in.

Sure enough, sitting inside a small wooden box was a little tiny woman.

She was wearing a simple dress and a kerchief on her head, sitting on a tiny chair with her hands folded her lap. She looked down at her hands and didn't seem particularly happy. When I said hello to her, she smiled. I asked her name and she said Gloria Rhoden and told me she was from Jamaica. I asked her if she liked sitting there talking to people all day and she answered simply, "Oh, it's a pleasure."I thanked her and left.

But I couldn't stop thinking about her.

Mostly, I worried about kids and mean teenagers making fun of her to her face or being rude to her.

I'll be honest -- the whole thing has depressed me all week. Then earlier today I Googled her and found this article from a few years ago in the Roanoke Times. In it, Rhoden insists she's happy, and I'm going to choose to believe her, just so I can sleep at night.So is it worth the $1 admission? Jasmine says yes: "I think it was very worth it!"I say yes too. Go see her and talk to her, drop a buck or two in her tip jar. Just be nice to her.Read more: http://blogs.newsobserver.com/statefair/worth-a-buck-the-worlds-smallest-woman#ixzz1bdzto0qf