I think I met her. No lie. But yeah, sounds like "So You Think You've Got Problems?" Which I still get. And hear as "blah,blah, India, blah, blah, crushing poverty, blah blah, lack of family support, blah."

OK, tell me you've seen the South Park episode on this exact theme. Literally, Chris Reeve comes to town to raise money and Timmy and the kid who had polio (I've only seen him in the one episode) decide to found a club, to which you can only belong if you were born crippled. They go to have teeshirts made up, and the guy informs them that maybe calling themselves "Crips" isn't the world's best idea, because, see, there's already this other sort of, er, club...

So they go down to meet the other Crips and Shit Very Definitely Happens.

No, I hadn't seen that. I'd remember it. Sounds funny, in a sick way. It was hard to write words like "amputee" and "petit mal" in my stories cause around the Independent Living Center I would probably say "person with seizure issues" or something. But they wouldn't around the squad. Way different standards of talking. And in an ILC, at least ours, nobody says "problem." They say "issue". So and So has mobility issues. How are you doing with your depression issue?

We call 'em 'shoes.' Sometimes hip waders. It's a thing.

erika, my love, this has to be one of the sickest, twistiest, funniest episodes ever, of a show famous for sicky twisty fun. The worst possible taste.

Howlingly funny. I mean, I hurt myself. I pulled a couple of muscles.

You'll love them being told they have to go kill some Bloods if they want to join the Crips, so they go down to the convenience store because they've been told that's where the Bloods hang out - and anyway, they decide to bring back some soda and tasy snack treats for their new friends - and there's an 18-wheeler and it swerves- no, I should shut up. It has to be seen. From top to bottom, it has to be seen.

Do not, repeat, not, watch it with someone who can't deal with you being in a wheelchair. You'll shock them with the wails of outraged laughter.

Yeah. So writing it out made me feel weird, even though Kay and Frank would certainly not think twice about saying those things.I'll have to see that,Deb, even though Mr. Hanky lost me, years ago.

How are you doing with your depression issue?

::snerk:: My ennui? I think I'm going to start calling it that. Or better yet, give my depression a name. Like George. And then I could say "George is back, that freeloading motherfucker." Or "I'm going to bombard George with drugs until he leaves and never comes back!"

At the very least, my conversation will become much more interesting.

They say "issue". So and So has mobility issues.

Issue?

OK, granted, the two times in my life I spent in chairs (once post-polio as a kid, once post-accident, see above) were both well before the days of sensitivity training.

But I have to say, "issue" strikes me as really totally the wrong damned word under the circs.

edit: erika, I loathe Mister Hanky. He's nowhere near this episode....

I know. Good luck with George...I never named mine, but we are starting to come to an understanding.And, yeah, Deb, I agree. I think the thinking is to try to be positive and show how we keep on keeping on and are not always tragic and brave, but some situations do really suck, and you've got to be able to say so.

this has to be one of the sickest, twistiest, funniest episodes ever, of a show famous for sicky twisty fun. The worst possible taste.

I agree. I hadn't laughed so hard at a South Park in many, many moons. Especially when Stan and the others would wander into the frame, look at what was going on, and just say, "Nope. Not going there. Want nothing to do with it."

When even Parker & Stone know they've crossed a line, it's bound to be funny.

Speaking of which, just came across this small bit of what's essentialyl fan fic from Poppy Z. Brite. BAsically, it's Poppy/South Park creators slash:

[link]