You know how you have to choose the story you tell people in the medical field very carefully so that your needs are met? I had an exercise in this particular form of identity-bending rhetoric this morning, when I tried a scooter that the province of Quebec may potentially provide for me. Very happy that these are covered for all who qualify in this province, when in others they are not. It was, nonetheless, a frustrating experience in some ways and offers a chance for reflection. And rhyming!

Playing good crip for the scooter delivery boy.
Justifying my needs.
Explaining why it’s important to have a mobility device that fits in city buses
when he responds,
‘mais vous avez le transport adapte’. (‘But you have paratransit.’)
Explaining that it takes 24 hours to book a ride.
I have tried
a three wheel before and
contrary to popular opinion, I know what I want.

And what I don’t want? To fein interest in the advice of a man who knows my file number and what I look like after rushing out of the shower to answer the door and that’s it.
Je m’en cris.

Temptation tickles my tongue: ask him if he’s ever taken transport adapté,
Vindictive inclination tingles at the beginning of movements: break his knee caps with your cane so the next time he drives a scooter its out of necessity.

But here I am playing good crip, apolitical crip so the scooter delivery boy will take my side and
find me a scooter to
get on the bus with.