Thirteen-year-old Fayette “Fay” Marigold was petite for her
age but had the biggest personality and mind. She was fearless, opinionated,
loud, and sometimes a troublemaker with the cockiest grin which seemed to make
her impish attitude stand out even more. Even though she thought that telling
people was as unimportant as knowing the names of the Kardashians, she was also
born with cerebral palsy. She was in a wheelchair and her speech was slightly
garbled but she lived a regular life and never became a poster child for the
pity party. She was actually more of an advocate for the rebellious and the
smart ass.
One brisk, fall evening, she went to a Halloween carnival
with her sixteen-year-old brother Warren. Fun, creepy music and the sound of
children laughing and squealing surrounded them with the smell of buttery
popcorn and sweet cotton candy in the air.
She and Warren were waiting in line to go on a roller-coaster. When they
first arrived at the line, the ride was already going and they were only
letting six people at a time go. Fay saw a lot of spooky things at that
carnival but none were as beastly as the boy that was standing in front of
them. The boy was much younger, around ten or eleven and he was staring a hole
through her. Of course, the boy’s parents were nowhere to be found.
Fay said to the boy sarcastically, “You never saw a person
in a wheelchair before, right? It’s okay, just remember to blink though or your
eyes will burn.”
Warren chuckled in his throat. She didn’t think that the
rude boy understood her but he did and began to pick on her.
“You talk weird,” said the boy wickedly, “Um, this ride is
for normal people…only and you ain’t normal.”
“You think so,” exclaimed Fay with fake excitement,
“Really?” Thanks!”
“Man, I bet that it ain’t no fun having a wheelchair girl
for a sister,” said the boy to Warren, acting like she wasn’t there, “Sorry
that she is like that.”
“Whatever kid,” said Warren dryly, glaring at him.
“Sorry?” Fay laughed, “Why are you sorry? Did you create
cerebral palsy?”
Still ignoring her, the boy said, “I bet that she can’t do
nothing on her own.”
“Shut up kid before I---!” began Warren, becoming furious,
his big fists turning white. Fay stopped him with an assuring smile.
“It’s true,” she replied sardonically, “I can’t walk, I’m
just one of the fastest in any wheelchair race. My handwriting is crummy, I can
just type ninety words per minute on the computer. I can’t talk clearly, I’m
just unafraid to speak my mind. You’re sooo right. I can’t do anything at
all.”
The boy looked puzzled. She and Warren just laughed. Then,
the roller-coaster was beginning to stop and the boy gave her an evil smile. He
said mockingly to her, “Uh oh, there’s five people ahead of you and only six is
allowed. Looks like your brother will have to leave his wheelchair sister
behind.”
She just grinned. The
ticket taker then walked by. The boy tried to give his ticket and walked on but
Fay held up a blue pass and the ticket taker stopped him, letting her and
Warren go in front.
“Hey,” he exclaimed, “I was here first!”
“I’m sorry,” said the ticket taker, “She has a disability
pass and he needs to accompany her. You have to wait. We only so much room and
I heard how you were treating this nice, young lady.”’
“But that ain’t fair,” he yelled.
“If only you were abnormal like me…,” she smiled, as Warren
picked her up from her chair and helped her into the ride.
“You are only gettin’ special treatment cause you’re in a
wheelchair,” he bellowed.
“Well, it pays to be the wheelchair girl,” she said
cheekily, winking as the roller-coaster rolled away and leaving the little boy
behind.
(c)Lena Holdman, all rights reserved 2013
This is a funny satire, poking fun at all of the bullies throughout my life and at myself. It was fun to write.
