[Gabriel Morgan] GWM smart, cute, great sense of humor... and disabled

[Gabriel Morgan]

Three introductory anecdotes -

 

I grew up with an aunt in a wheelchair. She was one of the last polio cases in the United States, contracting the disease at age 24, even tho she'd been vaccinated. She had a husband and one child, and she was pregnant with another. I don't remember her before she got polio; in my memories, she's always been in a chair.

 

When I was in high school, there was a carhop at the local A&W who had been terribly burned. The skin on her face, hands and forearms was pink and twisted, her fingers gnarled from contracted tendons. She never looked you in the eye when she took your order or delivered your food. I'm sure we all stared at her in horrified fascination, and I remember thanking the powers that be that something so awful had happened to someone else and not to me. I also remember with shame not wanting to touch her hand when I paid her. Like it was contagious or something. She was maybe 22, 23. Young.

 

My friend was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor. After it was removed, her balance was off, one eye was slightly out of alignment, her hair was shaved. I visited her, and when we went out in public, I was very conscious of the stares, the quick glance and away, of the people we passed as we were shopping. Their discomfort. It made me think long and hard about how we feel about someone who's 'different.'

 

In homage to my aunt and the carhop, I created Kenny and Rafael in Panhead.

 

I'm not looking for guidance here; I know how I feel about these things. I'm writing about this because I get very few comments about Raf and Kenny. Now and then someone will say that they appreciate the manner in which I'm handling their characters, so I'm wondering - does thinking about them make you a little uncomfortable? Or are they 'natural' enough in the story that you don't feel compelled to comment on them specifically? Or... what?

[TracyMN]

Hi Gabriel:

 

Good question. We have had a couple conversations about wheelchair basketball,

which I was delighted to find included in the story. But even having some experience

with the mobility issues and other complications involved in the daily lives of these

folks, I still find I have to remind myself to be sensitive. It's so easy to try to step ahead

rather than wait behind them when heading for a doorway, and I because I know that

people have different ideas about what they consider help, I am hesitant to offer assistance.

We have had our consciousness raised about many issues, but I recall very little ever

mentioned anywhere that would be of use in these instances. The idea of getting eye-level

when speaking with a person in a wheelchair was something I knew would have never

occurred to me, so that has managed to stick with me, and I have had a couple opportunities

to put it into practice. In general, "ignore what you don't understand" still seems to be the order of the day.

My daughter was burned as a baby, and has some deformity to her "pointer" finger, and a contracture in the space between that and her thumb, and the most insensitive comments

have come from adults. We surely have a long way to go with our issues about "perfection".

 

I absolutely love Kenny, and am impressed with Raf, whose edgyness I find believable and

appropriate. Where Kenny's personality is more about Kenny, Raf's is more about the accident

and the way it impacted his life. But I wonder why we don't comment on them, I bet i'm not the only one who actually has some well-formed impressions about who they are and why. :-)

 

Thanks for asking.

 

Tracy

[orion]

Good Question.

 

I've only ever thought about Raf and Kenny in relation to Evan and not separately as individuals or a couple. That is until last week when a new delivery guy came into the office. He has severe burn marks on both sides of his face, one side worse than the other. I immediately thought of Raf at the time and thought about how difficult it must be for him coming into a new office where intially he is going to be stared at. And you do stare even though you try not to. I can't imagine how hard it must be to deal with this situation every day of your life when you are in public.

 

As for Raf and Kenny, I feel they are very natural in the story and the thought of them doesn't make me uncomfortable in any way. I feel it's very natural for them to be a couple and not because of their disabilities, but because of the connection they share through the accident. I have the same warm feelings for them as a couple when they are written about as I do for Jeff and Evan.

[Silvertomcat]

In the context of your story I have considered the various results from the accident.

 

It'll come as no surprise that I like the commitment the guys are making, even though they're hot enough to get hit on a lot *grin*

I must confess that I have wondered if they would have grown into capable gay men if it weren't for the different focus thrust upon them and everyone around them : Evan, Rafael and Kenny had to change, while their family and friends got a rude awakening that being gay isn't exactly significant when you see what can happen to your child / friend / brother... This point was clearly driven home by Luke, eh?

 

At one point I thought that Rafael and Kenny stuck together to avoid having to deal with dates, but that was addressed well enough in a previous chapter. Right now they just feel natural.

 

In a private message a while ago, I asked Gabriel about the nature and texture of Rafael's scars, but that's more to do with my attraction to the traces of time and life on a man's body. I ask the same questions in real life, though, so I don't feel "ignore what you don't understand" applies to me. (Just as an aside, I always try to be kind and appropriate - eg a cuddle in bed, rather than a loud conversation in a crowded elevator *wink*)

In general they seem to confirm my initial judgement about guys : (strikes all examples as inappropriately personal).

 

While I'm typing this, I'm suddenly wondering about non-physical scars... I seem to remember some vague references to Evan's slutting around for a while. Perhaps there's always a reason like this for the way guys are ?

 

In that case my harshness over their sexual-butterfly-behaviour was perhaps uncalled for *doubtful*

[GlosUK]

The talk of the disabilities brings a reality to the story that many authors don't do.

 

As a person who has spent time on crutches and has restricted mobilty it is great to read of those in situations that mean allowances need to be made.

 

I would be interested in following more of Kenny and Raf as they are a interesting couple.

 

Just read C27 and i was wonderin when we might learn more of Jeffs history, good chapter and await more

 

PJ xx