win picture

She didnt know. Jerk.

i feel you on this, but i have to say this. people tend to be inquisitive about things that aren't "normal," to include your disability. it definitely gets annoying when people ask you repeatedly how something came about, and you're compelled to try to explain it to them. for example, i'm in korea, and i'm a black man, and i speak korean. naturally, the first thing that comes out of their mouths is not a response to any statement that i've made, but rather, their own bewilderment at my ability to speak korean. it really sucks, even if it's for something positive. |the kid|

...so what was it you did to get that limp...? sorry! HAD to say it! btw, since you have a disability you should be more understanding to peoples inquisitiveness than the common person with "no" disabilities. (other than the usual ignorance, ect.) & OP no harm done. next!

17, I think you are overreacting just a little. It must be very challenging living with a disability, but shouldn't you be use to answering questions by now? I was on crutches for almost a year, and everyday I would have at least 3 strangers ask me what happened- and constant staring. it's extremely annoying at first, but you get use to it, well I did. you don't have to explain your whole situation, just keep it short. now I walk with a slight limp. I still get stares, and questions, but it's human nature to be curious..

And the awnser to that last question is no. Everyone knows that any kid with a broken leg is going to want EVERONE to know everything about it.

Nice chip on your shoulder there. It's not that difficult to just say "Oh it's just a limp from an accident/surgery/birth defect/etc, no biggie." and then just change the subject and get on with your day. If you don't want to deal with questions, compassion and people who want to help, then just isolate yourself from humanity for the rest of your life. It'll be like the 12th century all over again - fun times!!

28, that's pretty douchey. You're assuming everyone is asking out of compassion and want to "help"-- well who said he needs help? Yeah he's differently abled, but he doesn't need everyone's pity and handouts. He's a normal person, too, and is just saying he gets annoyed by ignorant shit like that. You can understand that, you have emotions, too.

Nothing douchey about my comment. It's not that hard to deflect the questions and change the subject. Being constantly pissed about it is a waste of time and will not keep people from asking questions. Yes, 17 is a normal person and as a normal person, he's being an ass about something he needs to learn to deal with in a better way.

Hate to break this to ya, but you are overly sensitive. People see you limping or what not and ask "What happened?" not because they are malicious but because they are curious and they have sympathy for you. Now, STFU and be glad people are even bothering to care that you are limping.

good point.

I know it sounded like I'm harboring ill-well for everyone, but I'm really not. I don't mind people asking if they are talking to me about anything else or if they are seeing if there's anything they can do to help me. But people trying to be kind is *totally* different from randos who don't say "hello," or ask my name, or anything, and just say "Why do you walk funny?" right off the bat. OP really should have been asking if there was anything she could do to help the kid. You don't need to know what's wrong to be helpful, if that is really what you're after, but if he wanted to share I'm sure he would've. And I'm a girl. Just saying.

Seastone, I'm disabled too. Although it's not obvious right off the bat, I deal with my fair share of questions and ignorance. What you're describing, though, is very different from this OP's situation. I'm sure a big part of doing a tour like this is asking questions and trying to build a relationship with the parents and the kid. Since most kids want to describe their temporary injuries/casts (usually in gruesome, colorful detail) and since special accommodations may need to be made should he enroll, it wasn't an unreasonable question.  It's annoying that people aren't more sensitive, but being bitter about questions isn't going to emphasize your sameness. The general public needs positive exposure to the disabled, and like any minority, it's mostly on us to make that happen. This boy's going to get the same question a thousand times from his classmates. It shouldn't be an FML for him, nor from anyone who asks.  

just stfu, cripple

wow seastone, what a way to make awful presumptions about the OP and not even think about context!! The OP was trying to get to know the kid as they are a potential student for the school. I think it's not that farfetched to presumed the OP had probably asked other questions about the kid and this just happened to be one of the questions. It's not like they walked up to some random in teh street and right off the bat said "what's wrong with your leg?" The Op wasn't asking "why do you walk funny", they obviously thought the kid had a broken leg. That's not an insensitive question. You're being OTT sensitive. You're projecting your bad experiences onto the OP and that's not fair. It's *not* like asking tall people "how's the weather up there", because that's a lame joke about something that is completely natural and pretty normal. Many injuries are not normal and most kids love talking about how they injured themselves, and many would be stoked to have someone ask what happened.

starile, I'm a perfectly healthy normal "able" person and I am flattered and humbled when people try to help me out in some way. If a disabled person has such a chip on their shoulder that they can't show humility in being offered help, that is their problem, not the problem of the person offering help. It's not suggesting they are somehow unable to do things themselves, it's just trying to make life easier for them. I mean, as a short person I often can't reach things on high shelves in the supermarket, if someone offered to get something down for me should I snap at them about how I am a fully capable person and can do things for myself, or should I graciously accept their kind offer when, realistically, I'm *not* capable in this particular instance? I'd be a bit of an ass to react the first way. It's the same with "disabled" people. (Physically disabled, at any rate.)

I got tired of your whiny comment halfway through 17 but I sucked it up and finished reading it. OP works at a school. she has to show general compassion and such for children. get over yourself and learn to bend your knees douche

Let's all apologize when we try to be nice and ask what happened. I'm sorry that you have a disability but your mentally on the subject is pretty rude. Granted, if a random person out of nowhere just came up to you and said "Dude what happened", I could maybe see the frustration there. But when OP is showing a campus around and is trying to bond with the people and sincerely trying to be nice, I don't see the issue there.