Summer Plans

I  need to be totally clear about this;  I am not here to be “inspiring”.    I'm just here doing what I do.   I don't know  any people with disabilities who wake up in the morning planning to get out there to inspire the hell out of everyone they see. 

I'm married and in love.  I battled my way to a fine education, and literally hold more degrees than I've figured out how to use.  I've had two healthy pregnancies which resulted in two fabulous children.  Life is good.  And, oh yeah, I was born with Cerebral Palsy and I was part of a car accident that caused me to develop a seizure disorder.  That's my life.

I worked for a year counseling well-off collage-age kids with some pretty heavy-duty learning disabilities who wanted leave home for school and work toward a holding a good job and living in some cute little apartment in Cambridge;  and cooking for themselves, balancing their checkbooks and the many other things nobody thinks about when they're in their first two years of college.  Of course, the kids also wanted to meet other kids so they could hang around and blow things off,  party on Thursday and get laid; but all this goes without saying.  People ( like me ) could feel damn proud of all of them, but they just wanted lives.

For nine months, I took the morning train to Framingham with a cool young man called C.J. who had developmental delays.  We sat together, bitching and moaning about being on a train at 8:00 am. We talked about how we had learned to bake biscotti, and he insisted that my mother-in-law's recipe did not produce “real” biscotti because the cookies took less than eight hours to make.  We talked about what kind of jerks our bosses were and about what we would rather be doing at that moment.  C.J  knew more about my week than many of my grad-school classmates.  C.J. never tried to talk to me while I was writing in my journal.  Sometimes we just rode the train together and read.

The first time we met,  I was carrying a Tupperware container full of the much-disputed biscotti to a work-party.  “Are those biscotti,” he asked.  He didn't wonder aloud why I had them, ask me for one, or malign their authenticity.  The next time he saw me, we sat across from each other and had ourselves a chat.  Before we'd gotten off the train, C.J. told me to go to the people in charge of the public transportation system and get myself one of the special passes for people with disabilities, but I didn't.

I found out that I could not have gotten a pass if I'd wanted one; two brain-injuries and a seizure disorder isn't enough for the state of Massachusetts.   In the state where having a seizure disorder would keep me off the road, I'm “too able-bodied” for reduced transit  fare.  Does that make sense to you?

Hey wait, what was my point anyway?  Oh yeah, it was my Summer plans;  I'm going to learn to ride some sort of cycle.  Some sort of wheeled, vehicle with pedals powered by me.  Two wheels, three four, I'll try anything.  If you want to see what, in my dreams I can imagine toodling about on, look here:  http://www.incrediblethings.com/art-design/bicycle-design-for-people-with-disabilities/  .  I love this, and it's so pretty.  I don't know where to get it or how much it costs.  All I know is I want it as much as it wants me.  But I digress.

Like many of you, I tried learning to ride a bike when I was a kid.  I gave it up as one of those things I couldn't do.  Now, Emma wants a bright red bike, I mean she really wants one.  Now, Liam wants to give it another try.  I'm feeling spurred into action, so I'm giving learning to ride a go.  I've got the whole Summer ahead of me, and this is what I plan to do:

1.Write every day.
2.Start riding a bike.
3.Loose 5-10 pounds

Looking to be impressed?  Don't worry.  Those are just three things I'm gonna do.  If I'm going to be writing every day, you're sure to read about how I'm doing the other 2 as well.

Comments

[June]

As someone with a disability (legally, uncorrectably blind 20/800 at best in 'good' eye), I can relate. I work 40+ hours a week in a call center, have no guaranteed hours or insurance...and yet I earn too much to be on oregon's health plan. Fine arts graduate degree + Eugene = call center. Although I also briefly worked as a tutor to severely learning disabled college students :)
I started running last fall, and I love it. It is something I never thought I could do. I don't
do it to race, or because I feel like I should run
instead of walk, but because I wanted to find
out if I could. I hope riding a bike/whatevercycle works out the same for you.
What did you study after Vassar btw?
I have been hatching a diabolical plan to somehow take you up on the writing thing you mentioned a while back. Will keep you posted.
This is June, I forgot to say that!

[Lauren]

Mel, as my "Little Big Cousin" you never stop inspiring me, even if you don't mean to! I'm excited to meet your new cycle, whatever form that may take!! :D xxx