A Disorder Is Not A Disability

(It is the first time my friends have met my girlfriend. She has a disorder that makes it so she can’t really read body language, which means that she doesn’t respond to physical intimidation. We are leaving a coffee house to walk to a nearby restaurant.)

Stranger: *shouting* “Hey! I need money for the bus!”

Me: “I’m sorry, we don’t have any. We’ve got to get going.”

(The stranger places himself in our way and gets in my girlfriend’s face—probably because she’s small and he thinks he can intimidate her.)

Stranger: “I SAID I need money for the bus!”

(She stares at him blankly for a moment before giving him an awkward grin.)

Girlfriend: “You’re funny.”

(My friends burst out laughing, and the stranger runs off looking uncomfortable.)

Me: “That’s why I love you, babe.”

Girlfriend: “Because of my innate ability to make creepy strangers uncomfortable?”

(My friends are laughing so hard they can barely stand up, and they end up buying dinner for both of us.)