Say what?

I have a friend who wouldn't see the movie Murderball because it makes him uncomfortable to see disabled people doing everyday things (everyday things in this movie = practical jokes, sex, and crazy violent wheelchair rugby).

Tuesdays are long busy days. I'm at a satellite office in Maryland for my second of 2 10-hour days, and the clinic is small, crowded and noisy, especially on days where Metro Access evals are taking place -- quick 5 minute evals to make sure that someone really needs a transportation service to get where ever they need to go. Metro Access days are even noisier and busier as lots of people cram into a small waiting area for their 5 minute slot. The graduate student working with me today said, "I would go crazy if I had to be here every day" once the noise got a little out of control by 7:55 this morning. I said, "I love it".

Things overheard -- scratch that, plainly heard--in the hallway, gym, or my office today:

a man grunting repeatedly at top volume

a woman randomly screaming and cursing (not at anyone in particular, mind you)

a non-stop ringtone of It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp (hey, at least it's an Oscar winner -- just like Moon River)

a chorus of PTs singing the tune to Pomp and Circumstance on a patient's last day (DA-DA-DA-DA-DAAAAAAAAA-DA)

a phone call to get a referral for "moles on my breasts"

a patient meaning to say a "snake in his gear" who actually said a "snake in his rear" in discussing a local news story about a man who was bitten by a rattlesnake while unpacking his luggage (he corrected himself and said "that would be a whole different story")

and, perhaps one of my all time favorite paraphasic errors, a patient claiming that people against Obama are trying to put labias on people (labels, I hope, was the target word).

It's noisy, it's crowded, and I love it. It's disabled people doing everyday things the best way they can, and trying to do them better.

The image above is Ghandi from the v. funny TV show Clone High in his movie debut, a buddy cop flick called Black and Tan (with co-star George Washington Carver), with the catch phrase "Say what?"