The Disability Chat

Cricket

I don't think it's particularily safe to push a wheelchair through a hospital with a blindfold of hair. I caught the thumbs up, and tried to figure out a way to not see and know where I was going at the same time. It didn't quite work; I had to keep pushing hair out of my face instead.

In some miraculous way or another, I found the cafeteria. This time it was lined with different arrangements of food.

Did I smell . . . bacon?

Keep on track. Coffee. Aye. Coffee was also delicious. I glanced around for some, but all I saw were a couple ladies with hairnets and some girl--

. . . Oh bother. That was Marley.

T.Mor:

We got to the cafeteria alright...and it was all....different...there were different things...than last night.

I couldn't see the instant coffee tin and boiling water...What if they didn't have coffee? ...I'd...I'd be sleeping again tonight...and I didn't want that...no no no. No more sleeping. No way.

I started trying to point in the direction with the line of foods...and was trying to identify what exactly was for erm...eating... today...As...I didn't know any of it from pictures on the outside of cans...and then...I saw Marley.

Marley
I was sitting on a table in the corner, my hair barely in a messy ponytail. I'm pretty sure the nurses and doctors didn't quite know what to do with me at this point. Guess they'd get me more meds...
I poked at the food in front of me, hungry, but not really motivated enough to eat.

Cricket

Half of me wanted to walk up and sit down next to her, and the other half wanted to pretend I hadn't seen her, and that perhaps she wasn't in the hospital at all. She was off . . . ah, frolicking in a rich neighborhood and stealing to her heart's content.

And I still didn't see any coffee.

. . . Alright. I had a thought. There wasn't anything too unusual about it, except that it wasn't often that I actually considered it rather than brushing it off. Perhaps denial didn't always work. Honestly, if I pretended that she wasn't there, it would only come back and smack me in the face at a later date. Why not make it smack me in the face now, and get it over with?

"Ah. Should we . . . ?" I asked T.Mor, gesturing to the table where Marley was at.

T.Mor:

"Erm..." I waited for Cricket to walk around me so he could see my face when I spoke. "Can we get coffee first? ...I mean...I wouldn't...I...I need my coffee...uhm..." But I also really wanted to go see Marley...

One of the food ladies interrupted us, kind of. "Good morning." She smiled from across the counter.

"...hi..." I muttered. " uhm...Do...Do you have...coffee?" I asked.

She smiled some more at me. "Let me see..." She held out a hand to me...I think...for that bracelet that the nice man looked at last night... I wondered what it said about me on it... I carefully held my arm out to her, and she read whatever was on it...all...like...a smart person who knows how to read.

"Alright...You can have coffee." She started assembling a tray for me too. Wait. More food? ...Again? ...uhm...I wasn't really...hungry...

"Uhm...I kind of...I just want...the coffee...if that's...ok..." I told her.

Her smile kind of faded for a second..."That isn't really alright. You have to eat something..." She said.

"But...I...I mean... It's not...I... It's not my...turn to..." I said, but she wasn't really listening, and she piled up the tray with all kinds of wierd things that I hadn't ever seen anyway, and another little cup with white circles inside it...I would probably be forced to eat those...like yesterday...

Oh....and the coffee. Couldn't forget that...she did that too...

"Uhm...And...Er...Cricket too I guess..." I said to the food lady, although I intended to give...most...no...maybe all of my food to Cricket or Marley once we got to Marley's table...I wasn't hungry... I'd just eaten last night.

I kind of wondered why Marley was all...not...herself... I guess...I'd ask when we got to the table...

Cricket

The lunch lady had heaped two trays with more food. Ah. Now, that couldn't all be coffee. Ask for an inch, they give a mile. Oi my my. Again with the free food . . . how could they afford all of this for themselves, let alone give it away for nothing? Daily? I didn't quite get it.

Free food. Worker people who smile too much. Floors much too clean. No canals to be seen. Oi my my, I must have been dreaming, and I wasn't sure if it was some whimsical fantasy or a nightmare. Perhaps an odd mixture of the two.

I glanced back to the where Marley was at, holding my breath as I started in that direction: half because I wasn't too sure where another 'conversation' with Marley would lead, or if there would be a conversation at all . . . and half because I was pushing T.Mor with one arm and balance two loaded trays on the other. The lunch lady gave me a questioning look, which I ignored. I could do it on my own. The trays didn't spill a drop as I swiftly set them on the table.

". . . 'ello," I greeted hesitantly, standing there a moment as if for permission to sit.

Marley
I glanced up from my uneaten food, and dropped my fork back on my plate. Cricket. Friend Cricket. ...Almost-brother Cricket. My expression didn't shift at all, not even a tiny bit.

T.Mor:

Marley looked at Cricket... erm... This was kind of weird. She just looked all... blegh. Like...not herself.

I didn't try to align myself with the table yet, because...I mean... she hadn't really ...invited us to sit down... and It was all... I dunno.

"Uhm...Can...Can...we...er...stay here? " I went ahead and asked... because...It just felt... awkward stand---er...Sitting here, and not knowing if it was ok for us all to be here... I mean...Er...yeah. I kind of wanted to sit with her though...and I mean...then it would be all...three of us together...but...like...er...

I can't even sort it out in my brain, what I'm trying to say...gah.

Marley
I shrugged slightly, just a tiny raise of my shoulders. Didn't really matter...

Cricket

There was a short moment where I still didn't move, because I half-figured she'd pop up and say Hah! Just kidding! Sit down, ya crook! And, it was just silence and a shrug instead. I drummed my fingers against my side before sliding into the seat, and stared down at my food tray. Ah . . . nah . . . I wasn't very hungry. ". . . 'ow-- 'ow goes it?" I asked quietly, using that wierd plastic spoon-fork to stab a smile into something that looked like a fluffy flatbread.

Marley:
I shrugged again. What else was there to say? There was living and breathing and eating, and... that... was really it. Didn't change. I looked back down at my food, picking up my fork again and toying with the slop on my plate again.

*lightning strikes in the background* *cackles evilly*
LIIIIIVE, I COMMAND YOU TO LIIIIIIIIIVE!

Dr Doe
First morning of the program, and already two psychotic breakdowns on the main floor, an attempted case of arson in the lobby, and the cafeteria was out of my favorite tea. I could practically feel my hair losing melanin just in the last twenty four hours, and I hadn't even started meeting with any of the patients or fellow doctors. I knew I should be consumed with stress by now, but... ah... what can I say?

I briskly opened my door and closed it behind me, striding over to my desk and picking up my planner for a quick glance over before I was even sitting. Let's see... I should be able to do one of the planned double interviews for scheduling before I'm supposed to be conducting the initial staff meeting... and then doing a preliminary inventory of my supplies at three... perfect, that should leave the rest of my day open for single and double scheduling interviews until unpacking my personal belongings sometime tonight.

I set the planner back on my desk, when two tiny pills caught my eye. Some assistant must have taken them out. Like I was some kind of child that had to be reminded to take medication. I rolled my eyes and swept them off my desk with the back of my hand, grinding them both into the ground with my high heel. Hah. A small, satisfied smile graced my expression for a second

Now for the first double interview... I leaned forward slightly and pressed a button on my desk, then reclined back into my chair for half of a peaceful moment before two men in uniform walked in.

"Would you please escort T.Morbid Namechov and Cricket White into my office for their meetings to discuss further personal program scheduling?" I requested. They dispersed as quickly as they came and I began looking through the alphabetized case files beside my desk. Knowing the authors, they had probably gotten the worst disabilities imaginable for their individual situations.

Cricket

I didn't attempt to talk for the rest of the short meal. And in that time, I was left to my thoughts, and in that imagined noise, I felt like screaming, just a tad, just enough to break the pressure of the silence. I hid behind my hair to block out some of the light, but that made the silence close in even more.

So, I watched shadows. Not to mention my food. Ah, free food . . . I'd decided I didn't care how suspicious it was. I admitted that it smelled good, I was hungry, and I wanted to get it down before some guy came and took it or something of the like.

I was wolfing down a piece of burnt toast when something tapped my shoulder in a way that seemed so sudden, I almost dropped it. That was possibly the thing I hated most: I never knew where anyone was anymore. There could be a killer holding a bloodied knife at my back and I wouldn't know to suspect a thing unless he touched me.

He was some sort of worker person, saying things to me that I couldn't make out. He seemed to want me up, though . . . to where? Ah . . . perhaps I was in trouble. Oh bother. They wanted T.Mor to come, too.

Oi my my.

T.Mor:

We sat in...weird...silence and I ate... toast. Toast with no jello. I'd already gotten thorugh the cup of coffee that I had with my pile of... crazy food things, and I didn't bother with the weird yellow thing on my plate...because it was kinda...I don't know, it didn't look good. But yeah. Toast with no jello... tastes weird. Uhm.

One of the nice guys who works here appeared at our table, and tapped Cricket on the shoulder before talking to us...which...which made Cricket jump and drop his toast. It was probably for him kinda like how sometimes when Mr.Face showed up behind you and started talking and then he was all...suddenly...there. Only without the talking part... I think...and... knowing how that... ...how that feels... sort of... It was like... Yeah. Uhm. Anyway... The guy started talking after a minute. "T.Morbid and Cricket, Dr.Doe would like to see you to discuss further treatment plans...So... If you two would just come with me, I can take you to her office."

...Treatment plans...? What exactly did that...mean? I mean... were we... I mean... this was all...forever. None of this was....fixable. How... How do treatment plans even...How does that...? I mean unless there was like... science magic or something... but... That probably wasn't worth getting my hopes up for... because... he didn't sound like he was talking about magic... It kinda sounded scary- going to the lady from last night's office... discussing plans... It sounded like... Like work. Sorta. Maybe less scary. ...Maybe.

" ...Ok..." I mumbled, putting my toast back down on its plate and letting my brakes up. ...I wished I could like... drive this thing. I mean, alright...I wished I could walk at all. ...But... short of... like... science magic... it wouldn't happen...so... driving was probably the next best thing.

I glanced at Cricket all like 'what's happening...is something bad going to happen...are we in trouble...?' and I had to wonder if Marley would mind that we were disappearing on her, but it was like...she was really weird for some reason...so... didn't know if... if she was even really aware we were here in the first place... Which was also kinda scary. I mean, what was going to happen...?

My back kinda hurt so I moved the pillow behind me around a bit to try and sit in a better way... but that wasn't really doing a lot to help. Instead of going to....to wherever we were going I kinda wanted to just go back to my room and lie on my stomach and play katamari...if...if we had that here... on the not-shrinebox.

That guy from the place started rolling me out and waited for Cricket to come with us before going anywhere so he wouldn't get lost.

Cricket

Then T.Mor was rolling away, and they were waiting for me.

. . . Alright. First day here, and I was already in some sort of trouble. Nah, I was in more trouble. I'd been in trouble for a week; I was bloody deaf.

I felt a familiar spurt of air push past my pursed lips, which was . . . odd. I didn't think about it and I still didn't have to. Huh. One thing that wouldn't change much, I hoped. It didn't have the same ringing flutter, except perhaps to everyone else but myself . . . perhaps not even that. I avoided eyes with the worker guy and pushed away from the table, joining T.Mor's wheelchair's side.

Oi my my, those halls go on forever. I tried to catch T.Mor's eye to see if he knew what was going on.

T.Mor:

I noticed Cricket looking over at me while we were going to... there. ...The office was taking forever to get to... and occasionally there were places where the floor pieces didn't...didn't exactly line up and so it kinda made my whole chair feel like it was going over a bump...

I was just as confused and...kinda worried as he looked... which...it was still weird being able to see his eyes... but yeah. I just kinda shrugged my shoulders like...'no idea...' only I had to be careful with the movement because of my back...

Dr.Mencha:

I rifled through my file cabinet, looking at the bunch of new people we'd gotten in over the past several days. My office at the moment, usually pretty neat and playing soothing white noise was kinda littered with top ramen wrappers and some other rather unsavoury decorations that just came from staying up much of the night and reading everyone's files.

There isn't a thing wrong with going through three bowls of top ramen at three am.

Anyway. I pulled Marley Aldric's file from my stack of people who I needed to consult with this morning, and she was first simply because she was first alphabetically. I picked up my phone while walking around the office and generally tidying up all of the nonsense crap I had strewn about it while the extension rung for a moment. A cafeteria assistant picked up, and inquired as to what I needed.

After I assured him that I was not in need of any top ramen at the moment and that I was good on that front for the moment, I requested that he bring the girl down to... I would say discuss, but considering...that word choice probably isn't the best. .. To go over the tentative plan for the next several months, and decide on a good course of action.

I then hid everything that looked unprofessional and got out a notepad and fancy shmancy ink pen to ake notes on her with, and then sat expectantly at my desk.

Dr Doe
After I had retrieved their files, I scribbled down a few rough ideas on a post-it note. Afternoon sign language lessons for Cricket? Oh- and I'd need to look into some surgery options to see if any of his hearing will be able to be resorted either from possible partial eardrum reconstruction or perhaps a hearing assistance devise. ...Speaking of surgery, T.Morbid's back probably needed to be examined, Auda wasn't exactly famous for its medical standards... and while I was at it, we could look into treatments for his PTSD.

I heard the door open and I looked up from my scrawling. "Hello Mr Namechov, hello Mr White" I made sure to shape my words carefully so that Cricket may be able to lipread. As I said earlier, sign language classes were certainly a necessity...

T.Mor:

She was sitting there... waiting for us.

...Was I in trouble? ...Were we in trouble? ...Were...were treatment plans like... some kind of scary...thing for people who couldn't even do being screwed up right? I was kind of really nervous... and the guy who'd driven me down here was gone off to... I don't know where... and I was just... I don't even really.

"... ...Hi..."I said, sounding kinda quiet and uncertain. I wanted to know exactly what was kinda going onwith this whole thing... but I didn't want to get in trouble...even more trouble than I was already in with Cricket, apparently.

Marley
Cricket and T.Mor left. I stood up instinctively to follow, but ended up just watching them disappear down the hall. They'd be back, probably maybe. Or not. Hadn't paid attention to what the men had said. Maybe somebody was coming to take me away, too... I looked around for such a person, but when one didn't come immediately I figured they had just... left. ...A goodbye would have been nice, I guess...

The pain in my stomach from hunger wasn't quite done yet, but I started walking away from the table anyway, trying to feel for the souls of the people I passed. Still nothing, from the medicine, I guess. Just as I almost got out of the cafeteria, I saw one of those guys that was dressed kind of like the ones that took Cricket and T.Mor away.

"Marley Aldric, Dr Mencha would like to discuss treatment plans with you, so if you'd just follow me to her office..." I walked right past him "Uhm... no, it's the other way...just... follow me, please... ..." Stopping for a moment, I looked up at him and shrugged. Sure, fine, whatever. I switched directions and followed him, just as he asked, to the office.

Cricket

. . . Aye, I might very well be the worst lip reader on the face of the deaf man's earth. Hello-- blahblah, gibberish, Mister. I kept my face down, like that might give some cover even if I had to look up with my eyes to watch people talk.

It's funny, what you notice when you're forced to look. It was probably the first time I'd gotten a clear, straight look at Dr. Doe's face. My first thought: You would not survive in Luna. I'd known from glimpses that she had a dark face, but now I could see that her entire face, how it was put together, it was . . . ah. Not sure how to describe it. Not quite what came to mind when I thought 'beautiful', but not ugly, either, simply . . . different. It looked like she had dark paint coating her skin. A human, but a different type of human that I can't say I'd seen too often, if at all.

I forced my eyes down to stop staring, and touched my throat to start talking. Didn't want to be too loud, but . . . had to make sure I was actually saying something. I was starting to really appreciate vibrations. Footsteps, doors, they all make sound that you can feel. "What do you want."

Dr.Mencha:

She walked in to the office and... Apparently someone had gone a biiit to heavy on the Methyl hydroxiline because she looked totally blank. Awesome. Love talking to drugged up mutes. ...No really that wasn't sarcastic, I like talking to people who have stuff wrong with them.

"Hello, Ms. Aldric. Let me just get you a notepad and pencil and we can get this show on the road." I said, rifling around a drawer in my desk for the aforementioned utensils, and handed them over to her, sitting down at my desk. I had a page of messy notes on possibilities for ease of communication and potential modes of therapy, because, quite honestly... being drugged up to this extent all the time was no way to live, and with a whole bunch of practically illiterate friends... some innovation would have to happen. I'd briefly contemplated asking her about using her genetic material to grow another tongue for her, but... That process was iffy at best. I figured I'd bring it up as a possibility and if she was interested we could do further research and get in touch with the appropriate genetics labs... No need to call up all the buddies back there without actually having consent.

"So... How are you feeling?" I asked after handing it to her.

Dr Doe
I was largely unfazed by the way Cricket was studying me, because it wasn't difficult to connect the dots as to why. After all, even if he was an 'Outlander', he probably hadn't seen many people with dark skin... so, naturally, I couldn't fault him for the way he was staring. ...Still, though, it wasn't a comfortable feeling... not that I showed any trace of that slight discomfort on my face.

I cleared my throat and looked over at T.Mor as I addressed the both of them. Once again, I made sure to precisely form my words for optimum lip reading, and while I was looking at T.Mor I made sure that Cricket had a clear view of my mouth while I spoke.

"As I assume you have been informed of your reason for being here: to discuss further treatment planning and forming schedules for you to ahear to during the duration of your time in the program"

T.Mor:

Well, ...Yeah... ...I mean... that was what the guy said...before rolling me down here... but I still didn't really...like... know what that...like...meant exactly. I mean... uhm... "... ...Treatment...Plans...?" I asked uncertainly, kind of concerned. I mean... this kinda stuff... we didn't have anything like this in Auda and...and it was weird and I didn't really get it all the way I didn't think.