November 2017.
I stand and begin to recite the oh so familiar words,
"I pledge allegiance to the flag..."
Hand
over my heart.
Eyes
staring at the red white and blue.
When suddenly it occurs to me.
Why are you doing this?
Why are you pledging your
allegiance
a MAJOR thing
to a country that doesn't stand for
you?
For a country that doesn't
protect your
rights,
doesn't believe that who you are
is
OK.
So I stopped.
And yes, I am the only one
that stays
seated
but I watch and others standing
don't say it
either.

You may also notice
as you watch me,
that my legs remain
unshaven.
Why?
Hi,
I have sensory processing disorder
and for me,
the feeling of unshaven legs is highly uncomfortable
and I strongly dislike doing it.
The only reason I ever even started
was because my mother made me.
I don't listen to her about
other things,
so why this?
Society is stupid
and
will live.

Those things make me
a little odd.
But you know
what?
I'm weird
and
I'm ok with
it.