Today marks the International Day of Disabilities – and by extension, the Celebration of Differences.
One sees the differences. And it’s all that matters.
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Oppora was a city of contrasts -neighbourhoods of opportunity coexisted with those of strife.
Opporan society was —
Competitive.
To be extraordinary wasn’t an edge – it marked one as different.
Like seventeen-year-old Michael Long.
The pint-sized, scrawny teen often received discounts.
But these weren’t supermarket vouchers-
They were off-the-cuff remarks about height.
And they made him attuned to others who were discounted.
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He saw the sidelines -and who sat painfully on them.
The smallest-sized child in class.
The transparent man who stuttered.
The restaurant that only let in patrons who fit its refined ‘establishment.”
Amusing – yet crushing.
Because the ones who should have noticed didn’t.
The boy’s sandwiches were snatched.
He shook his head.
He strode up to the cashier who had ignored the stuttering man.
“Is he invisible?”
The cashier attended to the next customer.
With a Rolex sitting proudly on his wrist.
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It was a busy weekend at the town’s festival market- everything from wicker baskets to the glitziest wedding dress was on offer.
A well-dressed couple fingered the lilac linen.
With the salesperson chatting in exuberant tones.
Another pair clad in tee-shirts and jeans did the same- much to the salesgirl’s undisguised annoyance.
“Please look, don’t touch,” she directed, her voice two tones too sharp.
Michael let out a wry laugh – and shook his head.
He turned to approach – then hung back.
His father gripped his shoulder, nodding his head.
That tone would still sting the next jeans-clad couple.
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Michael broke free of his father’s grip and strode up to the cashier.
Lipstick even.
Hair perfectly set.
“I think they’d like to try that. They can pay for it.”
The cashier gave him a swift nod- then turned to receive a cheque from the better-dressed pair.
The casually-dressed couple exchanged glances with the youth – and nodded.
Michael’s father beamed.
He couldn’t get the jeans-clad couple their dress.
But his trying got them notice.
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Michael and his family continued their festival tour
The events played on – raucous, indifferent noise.
But he knew that someone had finally been seen – even if he was the only one who saw them.
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