For this week’s episode, we sat down with our friend Timmy Iverson, AKA “Timmy the Cripple.” We talk to him about living with a disability and how many times someone has tried to lay hands on him. It is an enlightening conversation about how one’s life experiences can be quite different when you have a visible handicap. It is also a great example of how some people have absolutely no boundaries. Timmy is totally cool with being called a cripple, by the way. He likes it.
Great show. The whole bit about how certain groups are treated as somehow fair game for all kinds of touching-without-asking really resonated. Grieving people get that too, except it’s hugs. Like, “Your baby died, I need to hug you!” Really? YOU need?
I actually wrote a blog post about it http://www.griefbeyondbelief.org/to-hug-or-not-to-hug/
Listening to Timmy, I’ve never been so glad my disability (MS) is mostly invisible. Usually that sucks, because no one gives you a damn seat on the train. But at least no one tries to heal me. Because then I would need to slap them. My balance may suck but my aim is just fine.
Anyway, awesome episode.