Boundaries and Personal Stories

am i the asshole? It’s six in the morning. I’m outside my hotel, half-awake,

smoking, just trying to exist—when this woman strides up and says, “What did you do

to lose your leg?”No “Hi.” No “Good morning.” Just straight to thatI’ve been an amputee for a while.

At first, I joked—shark attack, bear fight, whatever. But after years

of stares and strangers cornering me in parking lots, asking for the story like it’s entertainment...

I’m tired.\n\nSo I looked her dead in the eye and said, “You haven’t even asked my name,

but you want my medical history? Would you want that done to you?”She lost it.

Called me a bitch. A cunt. Loud enough for people inside to look over their