May 15, 2004
Perhaps I Am Callous
I was down the street at my neighbor's house tonight, because she has a party virtually every Saturday night, and it would be disrespectful not to attend, off and on.
Here is my dilemma: There is a fellow, B-, who always shows up. Not a bad guy, but somewhat opinionated, and likes having an audience. The problem is B- is a paraplegic, having had an accident of some sort, and is confined to a wheel chair. No problem with that, except he always wears shorts, and straps his catheter bag to his calf.
As B- drinks his twelve-pack, and orates upon the fantastic Journey concert he saw in '82, one is, of curiosity, compelled to watch his piss sack fill up. It is repellent, yet mesmerizing. I feel for the dude, but am offended on some level.
Were this me, would I drape a shawl across my lap? Should I?
I shall craft a letter to Miss Manners tonight, and beg her indulgence in divining the protocol for exposing one's acquaintances to the minutae of one's bodily functions, and the proper response to such.