Disqualified

Years ago we adopted a dog from the humane society. She had four different homes before we came along. People had purchased her for breeding. We later learned that she was purebred but had been "disqualified" due to her pink nose. We never cared about that nonsense and would joke and laugh about it. We loved her and they bent all the rules so we could adopt her.

My great grandfather Russian Jewish Ukrainian on my mother's side was disqualified to enter this country because he was a hunchback. He journeyed through Canada because Ellis Island wouldn't allowed a deformed Jew.

My mother felt disqualified her whole life because she had scoliosis and saw herself as deformed in spite of her beautiful face.

My mother deliberately disqualified me from properly participating in my own childhood because she decided I needed a series of unnecessary surgeries starting at age three, through ages five, six, and beyond. Nobody stopped her and she had plans for more. I finally ran away from home.

Whenever I enter an employment situation it tends to be through the ceiling and not the door. In other words I'm talented in some ways but not necessarily trained. Freelancing, teaching, baking, cooking, playing music, you name it. For some people this disqualifies me, but others have admiration and respect.