Invisible
Extract from the short story ‘Invisible’
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“Do you want to join us for dinner?”
There is a complicated set of math that goes into answering that question. The basics are how much is going to go from my pocket. The reality is eating outside costs, not to mention I am a college student, not broke but close enough. The second, do I care for the people enough to plaster on a barely passable smile and indulge in dull conversation that I most of the time do not understand at all or care for. The third and the most important, what is this going to cost me, not monetarily, but physically, mentally.
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Let me give you a little context on the last question. I have Achalasia Cardia, a rare disorder which is defined as a degeneration of the nerves in the oesophagus (food pipe, the tube that transports food from your mouth to your stomach for fools who have forgotten their 6th grade biology lessons), due to which liquids/solids are incredibly painful to swallow, that is on semi good days, on bad days it feels like my food pipe is locked and food is for the privileged. For people who think I can sustain myself on liquids, wrong. I wish I had one of those obnoxious buzzers for wrong answer with me right now but no matter you can just imagine it. Even water is for the privileged. When I say my throat is locked, it is barricaded, closed shut, welded, nothing is going in, not even a sip of water, the only way is out.
So back to the beginning of my complicated maths question. Did I want to join them.
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‘Invisible’ Description
Short Story – A dinner invitation extended to a person with Type III Achalasia Cardia
Link to the whole story: https://normal-ish.org/blog/invisible-i
