If you don’t think body language is important, consider yourself a fool. What comes out of your mouth may be dismissed and your intentions will not matter, but your demonic gaze and dragon nostrils will be felt.
Last night during a city league basketball game, a dude from the opposing team was challenging a call that he believed was unfairly whistled against him. The league referees can be like the gestapo and even though they won’t beat you over the head with a stick, they will quickly give you a flagrant foul or even kick you out of the game just for challenging their official call. Well, like the honey badger, this player did not give a fudge. He was so heated and his conviction was so strong you didn’t have to hear what he was saying in order to believe him or to be on his side.
All it took was one finger. I noticed that he didn’t do the halfway arm extension finger point. It is weak and flaccid. Instead, he fully extended his arm and pointed at the referee’s heart. I know, deep. His eyes pulled the trigger first and as soon I turned to look at the referee’s face, I knew it was over. The player’s conviction was so strong he made ME feel guilty. I almost felt like going up to the ref and saying “yo, I did foul him” even though I wasn’t even guarding him. I didn’t need to, the call was overturned.
Could this have been Mexican brujería? Maybe. What I do know is that it works. Try it. It is very powerful and will get people to listen. Even if it’s just pointing to your favorite cereal while your girlfriend stares at you like if you were a 5-year old. Girls do it all the time at the jewelry store when they’re with their boyfriends so it’s all good. Or, when you wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and point to the person responsible for the excitement, happiness and success in your life.
I think you should post a picture of this finger pointing to better illustrate.
I’ll remember to put a camera in my pocket the next time I’m in a game 🙂