Tickled Pinkie

The little finger.

We don't pay much attention to it, except for when folks drink tea. Then the pinkie often pops out. That's in western cultures, mind you.

In Hong Kong, the pinkie is the digit most commonly used for mining nasal cavities, which is an interesting quirk; most North Americans (65% according to one survey) prefer the index finger.

Why the difference? Because average nose size is smaller here. And for space hogs, the pinkie is in the perfect position for prospecting.

Some Hong Kong men even grow their pinkie nail longer for greater efficiency in sampling the latest shipment. And should they come up empty, they go for the ears, because dry wax is an excellent substitute when the desire to roll something pliable between one's fingers becomes overwhelming.

Sometimes I wish I weren't so observant.

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