And No One Even Cared

A couple of weeks ago, maybe even a couple of months my friend Ruth, who is the ED of the local Very Special Arts affiliate as if I would sit on a panel and of course I said “yes” and promptly forgot about the whole thing until week when I got a mysterious email thanking me for agreeing to participate on the panel for this Saturday. I checked my own calendars and sure enough I had the event scheduled 12:00 to 2:00 pm panel discussion and questions.

Panel discussions are typically Easy duty. You’re usually doing someone a favor so the person who asked that you participate in the panel is treating you extra special, then the people in the audience are usually somewhat impressed that you showed u for the panel—they figure that you would not been asked unless to were a special person and the best part they rarely last more then an hour or so and usually there seem to always be three other panelists beside yourself so you have other folk to hide behind if you do give a good answer and maybe the best part if there is food served the person who asked you to be o n the panel makes sure you get something to eat and then if you are really lucky you end up getting a cash stipend. They never call it payment always a stipend, something to do with accounting. The least I have gotten was the meal and that is OK and the most I have ever received was $100.00 plus which was totally unexpected but very welcome.

Yesterday’s panel was hosted by the local community college, some sort of a social justice/power thing-we were on right after lunch four people with significant disabilities. The four of us have been affiliated at one time or another by the local Very Special Arts program –which is` another blog entry entirely. I was the only male sandwiched in between three women with significant disabilities, a spinal bifida, head injury and another quad—very interesting group and I yammered as well. Easy duty. The hour went fast. I think I may have disappo8nted a little—I kinda of have a rep of being a rabble rouser in the are especially for disabled rights. And I was at another time. I was good, I did not attack, accuse or swear in fact I was fairly supportive of my counterparts with disabilities.

When we had finished a rejoined the audience and hung round for a couple of the speakers presentations but there was not a whole lot of reason for me to hag round, after all I was not being graded for anything. I essentially turned and rolled away and no one even cared.