Twice Again

Let Me Have This

It's pitiful when the only race you can enter is one of the mind.

But here I am.

Everyone's staring at me. It's not like I can't answer trivia questions.

I'm not cheating. My eyegaze doesn't give me the answers.

Just give me a chance.

Let me have this.

The timer starts.

First question: "In what region does the North American river otter, Lontra conadensis, reside?"

"The entirety of North America." The opponent got it right first. Smattering of applause.

It's not like I don't know the answer.

It's just much easier to say the answer than to use the eyegaze to write it.

Second question: "In what region does the Blue Doctor butterfly, Rhetus periander, reside?"

Type the answer. Speak it.

"Central and South America."

The only people cheering me on are in my family.

But I got the point. Move forward one space. Only 19 more to go.

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.

.

Thirteenth question: "In what region do Psychrolutes marcidus reside?"

Psychrolutidae. Family of deep-sea dwelling fish.

Marcidus. Blobfish?

"Deep-sea areas off the coast of Australia and Tasmania."

My answer is greeted by the bell. I got it right.

One space forward. I'm 4 spaces ahead.

People are whispering.

I'm not cheating.

Let me have this.

.

.

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Last question: "In what region do Raphus cucullatus reside?"

Raphus? Flightless birds.

Cucullatus. Solitaire? No. But then it must be the dodo.

Is this a trick question?

My opponent is now 3 spaces behind me.

I can win now. Take this chance.

Might as well.

"Currently extinct but Mauritius."

A bell. I got it right.

I won. There is happy music playing.

I don't know what I expected, but it definitely wasn't this.

Not the booing.

Not the shouting.

I didn't cheat. I didn't cheat. I didn't cheat.

Just because my outsides are disabled, just because I'm in a wheelchair, doesn't mean I can't win a trivia race.

Let me have this.

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I'm at another trivia race.

I'm here to prove I am able.

I'm not a cheater.

Last question: "In what region do Raphus cucullatus reside?"

Oh, I know this. That's the dodo bird, from Mauritius.

Wait, where's my eyegaze?

Oh, I must be dreaming again.

"Mauritius. But they're extinct now."

A bell. I got it right.

I move one space forward.

I've won.

I brace myself for the booing. The shouts of anger.

But all I hear is applause. Cheering.

Nobody is calling me a cheater.

Music plays, complimenting my win.

Oh, hold on, I know that music.

It's my alarm.

They will always call me a cheater.

They won't ever understand.

It hurts to know that a disabled person will always be treated differently.