Prodigies are like disgusting scenarios. You can’t stand being around them, but you end up bragging about them to all your friends.
Of course, this is only if they’re arrogant like Mozart.
If you knew a prodigy growing up, you probably found that they were either born with a unique gift or had highly creative parents (perhaps overbearing is a better description). Regardless, the prodigy you knew had a gift that was unique to them— Some strange talent that they will always be known for. When you hear their name, you think, “Oh yea, math wiz.” Whether gymnastics, physics, piano, computers or any other activity, they were identified with a specific noun.
The stories I enjoy most, though, are the prodigies that know they have a gift, but have yet to unleash it to the world. Whether due to circumstance, fear or obligation, they have their gift bottled up. They are the true-to-life prodigies.
A while back I came across a video that represented this unique type of prodigy. The piece featured Paul Potts, a mobile phone salesmen who lived in Bristol, England with his wife, Julie-Ann. Potts’ father was a bus driver and his mother was a supermarket cashier. From a very early age Paul knew he had a unique gift. Yet circumstance prevented him from going the “Britney Spears route” and traveling the world. The video below shows Potts unveil his talent on Britain’s Got Talent.