So, yesterday I showed Joey The Substance. In the last paragraph, I said the Substance has two meanings, the second being what makes or doesn't make a person. Let's think about for a sec.
You guys know Joey and I'm crips. we have providers to help us get up and go to bed with some help doing stuff we, otherwise, can't. We never ask people to do things we can do. We don't use people. So, from the time we get up to the time we get in bed, everything's on us.
Could we play the helpless card and use the hell out of people, sure, but what does that prove? It perpetuates the belief that ALL crips 24/7 care. It perpetuates that ALL crips should be in a "home" instead of THEIR home. Don't get it twisted, I'm not knocking those who have to live in a home. Trust me, it'd be easier than having to juggle providers' egos, so they don't walk out on us, or just don't flat ass show to have 24/7 care, but then, and I can talk for Joey on this, we'd wind up killing people if they were in our faces 24/7...just saying. But, I digress.
It's hard enough being out on the streets, just Joey and me minding our own, when feeling the eyes. Yes, in the 21st, people stare or give side glances like our fur kids when they hear what we're telling them, but don't wanna. Also, when we're out, say, walking the mall, someone'll inevitably ask if "we're racing". Before I pop off, I have to decide if whoever's blissfully ignorant or being condescending. Most of the time, we just give a wry smile and speed away from the situation.
Ask questions, People. I get it, A LOT of people've been burned asking questions of crips who, for some reason, aren't comfortable in their crip skin. We've been told. Could we be the obnoxious crip going off the rails or just pulling shit because we're crips, sure, and I did it when I was a kid...until I met someone who didn't give a shit, and beat my ass...while doing the same. We had a few "coming to Jesus" fights, and became best friends until he died in '91. It didn't save me from getting arrested that year for stealing when I was rebelling against the world. Teen court and community service is no fun when it's law mandated.
The point, we aren't that couple, we'd rather get asked the questions instead seeing the one or two over in the corner like teen boys or girls wondering, should I or shouldn't ask her or him out. This's why we love kids, they aren't afraid to ask, it's the parents who fuck it up trying to rein and stifle their natural curiosity.
This is the substance of a crip.
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