Smile

Hmmmmm.

I didn't murder anyone today. Nor did I roast my neighbours over an open pit and have them for bar-b-que. I didn't rob, or swindle, or cheat anyone today. Mustn't have been in the mood. Timing mustn't have been right. Something was a bit off.

You know, I know I shouldn't listen in to other people's conversations, but I do. We were in a mall food court - I go there because they have a Pita Pit and I love falafel pitas. It's messy eating but that's part of the fun, the challenge - you have your sports, I have mine. Across from us were two middle aged ladies chatting while one of their husbands looked around the court distractedly.

They were talking about Jeffery Dahmer. One of them had seen a program on good ol' Jeff on television and she was saying, "When I saw his picture in the paper I just couldn't believe he'd do such a thing, he's such a nice looking boy." Yeah, right, pretty people don't sin - that's left to us butt ugly folks. Then, then, then, the other one said, "And Karla Homolka was a pretty girl too, I just don't understand. She and Paul just looked so normal." Understand - evil is evil. It only means 'evil' it doesn't mean 'ugly' it doesn't mean 'fat' it doesn't mean 'disabled,' 'deformed,' 'crippled,' it just means 'evil'.

In a society obsessed with beauty, imperfection becomes sin and sin becomes evil and stereotypes abound about the 'different'. People don't want disabled people in the neighbourhood, they 'fear for the safety of their children' - yeah and the same people who would fight a home for people with disabilities opening next door probably brought your basic next door neighbour serial rapist-murderers, Paul and Karla a cake when they moved in. "Such an handsome couple."

OK, so the conversation upset me - it made me channel my inner Vader (Darth being one of celluloids ultimate disabled villians). I wanted to jump into their chat but I didn't. Joe gave me one of those 'don't' looks of his and I went back to my falafel. It was just hard swallowing with a lump lodged in my craw.

But even upset, I didn't take my plastic utensils and carve up Betty and Wilma or whoever they were. I'll stick to words.

I may have crooked teeth but I don't have a killer smile.