About the author: Alan Badmington is a former police officer and lifelong stutterer from Wales, UK. He is a successful figure in the public speaking clubs of England and Wales and regularly addresses diverse community organisations in an attempt to increase public awareness about stuttering. He has also given talks to trainee SLPs, as well as undertaking presentations at NSA and BSA events. He was a keynote speaker at the 7th World Congress for People Who Stutter in Australia in February 2004, where he also won the Oratory Competition. His television, radio and newspaper interviews have further brought stuttering to the fore. Alan has contributed a chapter to John Harrison's book, 'How to conquer your fears of speaking before people'. His work has been reproduced in NSA/BSA publications and on the major stuttering-related websites. Alan is joint owner of Stutteringchat, the world's largest Internet group for persons who stutter. Email: alan@highfieldstile.fsnet.co.uk

EVERYONE'S DIFFERENT

Text by Alan Badmington
from Wales

Alan reads Everyone's Different (mp3 - 840K)

Laura has freckles, Nina has spots
Dominic's fingers are longer than Scott's
Barbara is skinny, Lorna is fat
Daddy has whiskers as long as a cat

Brad is athletic and runs like the wind
Toby is awkward and undisciplined
Grandma has wrinkles and silver-grey hair
Granddad is balding and sleeps in the chair

Clarice is pretty, delightful and sweet
Robert's good looking, but has smelly feet
John's a musician and plays a bassoon
Will has a keyboard but sings out of tune

Martin has black skin, Hayley is white
Charlotte is gentle, Dan loves a fight
Susan has blue eyes, Judy's are green
Rachel's are brownish, the largest I've seen

Vicky is cheerful, Angie is glum
Cher looks like Daddy, I look like Mum
Amy has blonde hair, Gina's is red
Claire is well-nourished, Dave's underfed

Bill is ambitious and works hard at school
Alex is lazy but thinks he is cool
Jason is boring, Bonnie is fun
She brightens a party, like rays from the sun

Calvin has short legs, Wanda is tall
Jerry is bigger, but smaller than Paul
Jane is a good girl, as everyone knows
Joey's a naughty boy, Jack picks his nose

Paula's left-handed, Sophie is right
Wendy wears glasses to help with her sight
Brenda is thoughtful, Kramer's uncaring
Harvey is cautious, Tracey is daring

Things would be dull if our lives were the same
With identical clothing and same-sounding name
If we shared the same interests and musical choice
If we had the same accents, and similar voice

My father's a brother, an uncle, a son
So many identities rolled into one
Everyone's different, we're all quite unique
The way that we look and the way that we speak

Our troubles, our talents, the way that we think
The way that we laugh, and the way that we blink
It's great that we differ, it adds to our worth
There's no-one quite like us, elsewhere on this earth

Sometimes when I'm speaking, the words cease to flow
My speech becomes bumpy, uncertain and slow
At times I talk smoothly - at times I do not
It's just that I'm different, yes different! -- SO WHAT?

September 2004

	Laura has freckles, Nina has spots Dominic's fingers are longer than Scott's Barbara is skinny, Lorna is fat Daddy has whiskers as long as a cat
	Brad is athletic and runs like the wind Toby is awkward and undisciplined Grandma has wrinkles and silver-grey hair Granddad is balding and sleeps in the chair
	Clarice is pretty, delightful and sweet Robert's good looking, but has smelly feet John's a musician and plays a bassoon Will has a keyboard but sings out of tune
	Martin has black skin, Hayley is white Charlotte is gentle, Dan loves a fight Susan has blue eyes, Judy's are green Rachel's are brownish, the largest I've seen
	Vicky is cheerful, Angie is glum Cher looks like Daddy, I look like Mum Amy has blonde hair, Gina's is red Claire is well-nourished, Dave's underfed
	Bill is ambitious and works hard at school Alex is lazy but thinks he is cool Jason is boring, Bonnie is fun She brightens a party, like rays from the sun
	Calvin has short legs, Wanda is tall Jerry is bigger, but smaller than Paul Jane is a good girl, as everyone knows Joey's a naughty boy, Jack picks his nose
	Paula's left-handed, Sophie is right Wendy wears glasses to help with her sight Brenda is thoughtful, Kramer's uncaring Harvey is cautious, Tracey is daring
	Things would be dull if our lives were the same With identical clothing and same-sounding name If we shared the same interests and musical choice If we had the same accents, and similar voice
	My father's a brother, an uncle, a son So many identities rolled into one Everyone's different, we're all quite unique The way that we look and the way that we speak
	Our troubles, our talents, the way that we think The way that we laugh, and the way that we blink It's great that we differ, it adds to our worth There's no-one quite like us, elsewhere on this earth
	Sometimes when I'm speaking, the words cease to flow My speech becomes bumpy, uncertain and slow At times I talk smoothly - at times I do not It's just that I'm different, yes different! -- SO WHAT?

EVERYONE'S DIFFERENT

Text by Alan Badmington from Wales

Text by Alan Badmington
from Wales