Hi Michael, this was fun for me to read, especially having been to Rottnest when I visited my older sister. And after your comment on my last piece, this made me smile: "What a wonderful opportunity to let go of control."😎
I also enjoyed your depiction of David’s persistence and joy, and I appreciated the tenderness underneath the whole story—the way you allowed dignity, freedom, humour, frustration, care, and genuine human relationship to coexist together without sentimentality.
And your reflections around public space, disability, social convention, and personhood were woven in so naturally that they deepened the piece without ever becoming preachy.
Also, Barbra may never recover from this portrayal 😂
Beautifully written♥️🔥🙏
oh, and I especially enjoyed hearing your narration!
“Barbra may never recover from this portrayal” — ohh Camilla, that made me laugh so much!
And yes! I’m so glad you mentioned the line about an opportunity to let go of control — I thought about you when I wrote that.
Also, I really appreciate what you said about having all those different elements coexist without being sentimental; and about me offering the thoughts that deepened the piece without being preachy.
You are such an astute reader, and it really means so much that you see, acknowledge, and appreciate all the inner workings that go into weaving a piece together. Or to put it another way, you really know how to make a writer feel heard. So, thank you, truly. :)
So well written it put a smile 😊 on my face. It’s amazing how you can put the reader right in the picture with just 26 letters of the alphabet.
David what a legend we should keep a little bit of David’s gusto for life and never forget to enjoy the simple things like riding the red bike. I’m glad you managed to get the quokka selfie 😊.
I accidentally had coffee and can’t fall asleep, so this was the wonderful silver lining to unexpected insomnia. I loved meeting David, following your journey together, and feeling like I tagged along in a little side car getting a miniature tour of Rottnest and a tiny slice of your home. This was a peaceful slice of life that put a happy lump in my throat, a transporting escape in the best way.
One thought I had was that I admire and appreciate David’s abusing optimism. The other thought I had was how thankful I am that he has a caregiver from a steady program that enables him to have opportunities like this to be active, present, and dynamically alive. That is to say, thank you for the generous work you did, to your company for seeing caring as a larger concept that merely meeting basic needs, and to whatever funding source that company taps into for supporting something that might be hard to justify for a bean counter but that does something great for Davids all over your community.
This whole read just makes me happy, man. Great shit. You’re the best, Michael.
Thank you Michael. I’m so glad I could bring you along on this little journey — even if it was in the middle of the night for you.
It was nice to share a bit more about Perth and its surroundings than I normally do. And, of course, it was really nice to share a bit about David and what I do for work. This felt more vulnerable to share than it probably reads, but I’m glad I could do it.
I couldn’t agree more with your other comment about all the things that go into ensuring that the David’s of the world are provided with more than just their basics needs. I’ve been working in this industry for a little over three years now, and it has been amazing on a personal level to realise how much goes into caring for people like David, and how large parts of the society— myself included until I began this work— don’t even ‘see’ these people. It’s funny really, because it seems like I’m the one helping David — but that dude has helped me just as much in his own ways.
Thanks Michael. I really appreciate you being here man :)
That last bit about the invisibility is so true. There’s a house along the path I typically walk that always had this white van pull up either right before or right after. It took a few years for me to realize it wasn’t a carpool but a caring service for a man who lives there with his guardians. I know of other services for other adults in need, but I’d assumed they were wholly outside my world, but once you know, your eyes open and you see all these things happening right under your nose.
I don’t doubt David’s positive influence on you—it comes through in the piece, I think. Letting our work serve others helps make that work feel meaningful. That also came through in this piece.
This is such a great piece. The writing is superb and your humour unparalleled. But what I like most of how you used your voice to give space to David’s experience and honour his life. Disabled people are rarely able to be the narrator of their worlds, and you treat that gift with the seriousness it deserves. You extend him full humanity. And your connection really shows. I love this so much each and every time I read it.
Thank you chicken. I don’t know how explain how much I appreciate you and all the ways you help me. From helping with the writing, to be a shining example of extending everyone their full humanity. I am forever looking up to you and your example ❤️
Awww man, I loved this story! Everything about it. Starring David of course, but his support animal’s obliging narration brought it home. You make being human seem radically ok, how we can love our work, enjoy the oddities we encounter each day, and at the same time bitch and moan and threaten loss of sanity. David sounds like such a good companion for it all. Even when he announces you’ve peed yourself!
Hahaha yes, the narration of David’s obliging support animal wasn't too bad if I say so myself hehe. That really made giggle, Kimberly. :)
The idea that I make being human radically okay — is such a huge compliment. I feel like in so many ways I’m always juggling these seemingly incongruous parts of life and trying to make them ‘fit’ or ‘work’ or to just understand them in some way, but I’ve been trying lately (trying being the key word) to just live and accept and write about all of it. And so, your kind words, as they so often do, really mean a lot, friend. Thank you.
Impeccable story-weaving, M.E.! I loved following your adventure with David, the red bike, the quokkas, Barbara and her forsaken facts, and this line sealed the deal for me: "Even though I don’t know a word of German, I was able to decipher – from his yelling, arm-flailing, and the vein protruding from his neck – that the German guy was not happy. Sometimes language adds nothing to understanding."
Encore! More chronicles of Michael and David in the wild, please!
Thank you Kaylen! I’m so happy you enjoyed following me and David on our adventure. And I very much appreciate that you tolerated Barbra and her forsaken facts — it was a struggle for all of us hahaha.
Ohhh thank you so much for pointing out that line! It’s always so nice to see what hits home for you! And if I’m honest, I liked that line too, which makes you pointing it out all the more special.
I haven’t written any of them out (yet) but me and David have been on a few more adventures — so it’s very possible that an encore will come at some point.
Thank again, Kaylen. I can’t explain how much I appreciate you being here :)
DUDE. Love it! What a great read for a top of the morning, having Sunday coffee guffaw. More than one, actually. (Guffaw, not coffee. Okay, maybe also coffee.) Besides just the delight of David and your internal monologue, I was all--whoa! Dolphins and jellyfish IN the river? Well, yes, of course. We land-locked-lubbers and mountain goats tend to not think about that. Or at least, this one doesn't. And the tidbits you provided about things like the local non-rats made me beam over getting an inside glance at your home.
Writer brain posted a stickie: Ohhhh, is this what he meant about wanting more Minnesotaisms???
My neuropsychologist once told me that I would have particular trouble with the degree of my brain injury because of the supercomputer inside my skull that I started out with, and that I didn't lose my hypersensitivity to every minuscule nuance of both my new issues and people's reactions to me. As such, David is kinda my hero today. Giving no fucks. Asking for what he wants. And again. Until he gets it. Not feeling the need to over-explain himself or apologize for breathing no matter people's reactions to him. Giving no fucks. Hyperfixating on what he wants to hyperfixate on and enjoying the heck out of it. And again. Smiling like that. Stating the obvious and giving no fucks that, yes, that just blurted out of his mouth.
(The pants were a particular source of guffaw. Sorry, mate. Not sorry for pointing and laughing at the results of your decision to take an ill-timed whizz in the wind.)
I am in a phase where I'm learning another layer of comfortably living with the consequences of Being ME, instead of trying to hide so much of that. I now have a new hero in learning to be blind to people's reactions, or at least not letting that deter me from living the way I want to live, and from being exactly who I am. Thank you for introducing him to us, and for letting us see him in all his gloriousness through your doting eyes.
Thanks Dude! Yes, thats what I meant about more Minnesotaisms. I think there is something so cool about learning about a place you’ve never been to and at never go.
It was actually quite the treat for me to share a bit more about Perth than I normally do. And I’m so glad you enjoyed that, and it’s even so funny that you said that like “what dolphins and jellyfish in the river” because to me, it’s like yeah of course. But yeah, if you’re landlocked that’s just not gonna be the case, and while I can imagine what it’s like to be landlocked — I really have no idea. So yeah, gives us thise Minnesotaisms!
I couldn’t agree more! As someone who is overly concerned by other people’s reactions — David is my hero too! It’s kind of funny really because it seems like I’m helping him, but really he helps me just as much in his own ways.
And I’m thrilled to hear you drew some inspiration from his example. And I’m equally thrilled to hear your moving into a new layer of comfortability with being you! That’s wonderful. May David be your guide.
Thanks as always for reading and commenting, Dude! I appreciate you :)
I love this story. I am delighted to have met David and hope to hear more about his adventures and shenanigans. And you read it perfectly. Thank you for that.
Thank you Holly! I’m so glad you enjoyed the piece and the reading of it. And I am thrilled you enjoyed meeting David — we have gotten up to many more shenanigans, many of which I plan to share in due time.
Thanks again, friend. I can’t explain how much I appreciate you being here. :)
The thing I love most about this great piece is the reminder to the rest of us to talk TO people, regardless of their intellectual or physical capacity. I try very hard to do this in my clinical practice. I work with many children and as soon as they are capable of speech I try my best to speak directly to them and will confer with their parent after the child has already told me their story. I hope David got his red bike to add to his quiver. Did you know a group of bikes is a quiver? Or at least it is in the Rocky Mountains! What is a group of skateboards called - like when one person owns five boards? It might be a quiver too.
Yes! Thank you Donna. I can’t explain how much it annoys me when people don’t talk to David directly, especially because he knows what’s going on, like he knows he’s not being involved and it’s just unfair to him. And so, I’m really glad you picked up on that part. And I’m happy to hear that you offer the same consideration to kids.
Also, you totally stumped me on the collection of skateboards question. I like to think I know everything about skateboarding but I didn’t know that. I had to look it up, and apparently there is no agreed upon collective noun for a collection of skateboards — which explains why I didn’t know what it was. But apparently sometimes quiver is used because apparently it’s borrowed from surfing. Either way I love the question! And just so you know, I do have a quiver of skateboards, I have four at the moment haha :)
Thank you Troy! I’m glad you appreciated both the cuteness and the humour. I tried to offer up a bit of both so I didn’t come across as the full on sappy sentimental sensitive soul that I am.
I'm glad David got to ride the red bike! I'm touched by how you helped him live his dream for the day. There are apparently quokkas in a zoo not far from here, but I don't think I'll be rushing there any time soon. However, the pandas have all left (global politics), so I guess the plucky little quokkas will have to step up...
Thank you Jeffrey. I really appreciate that. It’s one of the perks of my job to be able to make David’s day every once in a while.
Ohh that’s so interesting, I don’t know why I made this assumption, but I assumed that quokkas weren’t the type of animal that’d be in any zoos. But there ya go. And yes, if I were you I wouldn’t be rushing off to see them either hahaha
Beautiful story. Thx for sharing your day with David. What a fantastic character. How did you meet him?
Thank you CK! I really appreciate that. Yes, David is most certainly a character alright haha.
And I work with him, he was the first guy I ever worked with when I started working as a support worker.
Thanks again :)
I loved reading this! Thank you for sharing it. ;)
Thank you, Adriana. I’m so glad you liked it. Thank you for reading and commenting, I really appreciate it :)
Hi Michael, this was fun for me to read, especially having been to Rottnest when I visited my older sister. And after your comment on my last piece, this made me smile: "What a wonderful opportunity to let go of control."😎
I also enjoyed your depiction of David’s persistence and joy, and I appreciated the tenderness underneath the whole story—the way you allowed dignity, freedom, humour, frustration, care, and genuine human relationship to coexist together without sentimentality.
And your reflections around public space, disability, social convention, and personhood were woven in so naturally that they deepened the piece without ever becoming preachy.
Also, Barbra may never recover from this portrayal 😂
Beautifully written♥️🔥🙏
oh, and I especially enjoyed hearing your narration!
“Barbra may never recover from this portrayal” — ohh Camilla, that made me laugh so much!
And yes! I’m so glad you mentioned the line about an opportunity to let go of control — I thought about you when I wrote that.
Also, I really appreciate what you said about having all those different elements coexist without being sentimental; and about me offering the thoughts that deepened the piece without being preachy.
You are such an astute reader, and it really means so much that you see, acknowledge, and appreciate all the inner workings that go into weaving a piece together. Or to put it another way, you really know how to make a writer feel heard. So, thank you, truly. :)
Thank you for that appreciation Michael, which I’m receiving with gratitude 🥰and sending appreciation back to you too♥️🔥🙏
❤️🙏🙃
I loved it.
So well written it put a smile 😊 on my face. It’s amazing how you can put the reader right in the picture with just 26 letters of the alphabet.
David what a legend we should keep a little bit of David’s gusto for life and never forget to enjoy the simple things like riding the red bike. I’m glad you managed to get the quokka selfie 😊.
Thank you, Dad. I really appreciate that. And yes, here’s to keeping David’s gusto alive! :)
I accidentally had coffee and can’t fall asleep, so this was the wonderful silver lining to unexpected insomnia. I loved meeting David, following your journey together, and feeling like I tagged along in a little side car getting a miniature tour of Rottnest and a tiny slice of your home. This was a peaceful slice of life that put a happy lump in my throat, a transporting escape in the best way.
One thought I had was that I admire and appreciate David’s abusing optimism. The other thought I had was how thankful I am that he has a caregiver from a steady program that enables him to have opportunities like this to be active, present, and dynamically alive. That is to say, thank you for the generous work you did, to your company for seeing caring as a larger concept that merely meeting basic needs, and to whatever funding source that company taps into for supporting something that might be hard to justify for a bean counter but that does something great for Davids all over your community.
This whole read just makes me happy, man. Great shit. You’re the best, Michael.
Goodnight :)
Thank you Michael. I’m so glad I could bring you along on this little journey — even if it was in the middle of the night for you.
It was nice to share a bit more about Perth and its surroundings than I normally do. And, of course, it was really nice to share a bit about David and what I do for work. This felt more vulnerable to share than it probably reads, but I’m glad I could do it.
I couldn’t agree more with your other comment about all the things that go into ensuring that the David’s of the world are provided with more than just their basics needs. I’ve been working in this industry for a little over three years now, and it has been amazing on a personal level to realise how much goes into caring for people like David, and how large parts of the society— myself included until I began this work— don’t even ‘see’ these people. It’s funny really, because it seems like I’m the one helping David — but that dude has helped me just as much in his own ways.
Thanks Michael. I really appreciate you being here man :)
That last bit about the invisibility is so true. There’s a house along the path I typically walk that always had this white van pull up either right before or right after. It took a few years for me to realize it wasn’t a carpool but a caring service for a man who lives there with his guardians. I know of other services for other adults in need, but I’d assumed they were wholly outside my world, but once you know, your eyes open and you see all these things happening right under your nose.
I don’t doubt David’s positive influence on you—it comes through in the piece, I think. Letting our work serve others helps make that work feel meaningful. That also came through in this piece.
Obviously, I loved the piece haha :)
Yeah, I was actually quite astounded by how much I started to really ‘see’ this world once I started working in it. It’s amazing what we can miss.
Thank you Michael. I really appreciate that. :)
This is such a great piece. The writing is superb and your humour unparalleled. But what I like most of how you used your voice to give space to David’s experience and honour his life. Disabled people are rarely able to be the narrator of their worlds, and you treat that gift with the seriousness it deserves. You extend him full humanity. And your connection really shows. I love this so much each and every time I read it.
Thank you chicken. I don’t know how explain how much I appreciate you and all the ways you help me. From helping with the writing, to be a shining example of extending everyone their full humanity. I am forever looking up to you and your example ❤️
They take us along...
red bike, rare quokka, wet pants!
Two cool characters.
Thank you Marisol.
I’m so glad you could come along for the ride. I really appreciate it :)
This was a great read Michael! Your storytelling about your Rotto adventure with David is wonderful, well done!
Thank you Raf! I really appreciate that. And I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks again :)
Awww man, I loved this story! Everything about it. Starring David of course, but his support animal’s obliging narration brought it home. You make being human seem radically ok, how we can love our work, enjoy the oddities we encounter each day, and at the same time bitch and moan and threaten loss of sanity. David sounds like such a good companion for it all. Even when he announces you’ve peed yourself!
Hahaha yes, the narration of David’s obliging support animal wasn't too bad if I say so myself hehe. That really made giggle, Kimberly. :)
The idea that I make being human radically okay — is such a huge compliment. I feel like in so many ways I’m always juggling these seemingly incongruous parts of life and trying to make them ‘fit’ or ‘work’ or to just understand them in some way, but I’ve been trying lately (trying being the key word) to just live and accept and write about all of it. And so, your kind words, as they so often do, really mean a lot, friend. Thank you.
And ohh yes, David is the best companion! :)
Impeccable story-weaving, M.E.! I loved following your adventure with David, the red bike, the quokkas, Barbara and her forsaken facts, and this line sealed the deal for me: "Even though I don’t know a word of German, I was able to decipher – from his yelling, arm-flailing, and the vein protruding from his neck – that the German guy was not happy. Sometimes language adds nothing to understanding."
Encore! More chronicles of Michael and David in the wild, please!
Thank you Kaylen! I’m so happy you enjoyed following me and David on our adventure. And I very much appreciate that you tolerated Barbra and her forsaken facts — it was a struggle for all of us hahaha.
Ohhh thank you so much for pointing out that line! It’s always so nice to see what hits home for you! And if I’m honest, I liked that line too, which makes you pointing it out all the more special.
I haven’t written any of them out (yet) but me and David have been on a few more adventures — so it’s very possible that an encore will come at some point.
Thank again, Kaylen. I can’t explain how much I appreciate you being here :)
DUDE. Love it! What a great read for a top of the morning, having Sunday coffee guffaw. More than one, actually. (Guffaw, not coffee. Okay, maybe also coffee.) Besides just the delight of David and your internal monologue, I was all--whoa! Dolphins and jellyfish IN the river? Well, yes, of course. We land-locked-lubbers and mountain goats tend to not think about that. Or at least, this one doesn't. And the tidbits you provided about things like the local non-rats made me beam over getting an inside glance at your home.
Writer brain posted a stickie: Ohhhh, is this what he meant about wanting more Minnesotaisms???
My neuropsychologist once told me that I would have particular trouble with the degree of my brain injury because of the supercomputer inside my skull that I started out with, and that I didn't lose my hypersensitivity to every minuscule nuance of both my new issues and people's reactions to me. As such, David is kinda my hero today. Giving no fucks. Asking for what he wants. And again. Until he gets it. Not feeling the need to over-explain himself or apologize for breathing no matter people's reactions to him. Giving no fucks. Hyperfixating on what he wants to hyperfixate on and enjoying the heck out of it. And again. Smiling like that. Stating the obvious and giving no fucks that, yes, that just blurted out of his mouth.
(The pants were a particular source of guffaw. Sorry, mate. Not sorry for pointing and laughing at the results of your decision to take an ill-timed whizz in the wind.)
I am in a phase where I'm learning another layer of comfortably living with the consequences of Being ME, instead of trying to hide so much of that. I now have a new hero in learning to be blind to people's reactions, or at least not letting that deter me from living the way I want to live, and from being exactly who I am. Thank you for introducing him to us, and for letting us see him in all his gloriousness through your doting eyes.
Thanks Dude! Yes, thats what I meant about more Minnesotaisms. I think there is something so cool about learning about a place you’ve never been to and at never go.
It was actually quite the treat for me to share a bit more about Perth than I normally do. And I’m so glad you enjoyed that, and it’s even so funny that you said that like “what dolphins and jellyfish in the river” because to me, it’s like yeah of course. But yeah, if you’re landlocked that’s just not gonna be the case, and while I can imagine what it’s like to be landlocked — I really have no idea. So yeah, gives us thise Minnesotaisms!
I couldn’t agree more! As someone who is overly concerned by other people’s reactions — David is my hero too! It’s kind of funny really because it seems like I’m helping him, but really he helps me just as much in his own ways.
And I’m thrilled to hear you drew some inspiration from his example. And I’m equally thrilled to hear your moving into a new layer of comfortability with being you! That’s wonderful. May David be your guide.
Thanks as always for reading and commenting, Dude! I appreciate you :)
I love this story. I am delighted to have met David and hope to hear more about his adventures and shenanigans. And you read it perfectly. Thank you for that.
Thank you Holly! I’m so glad you enjoyed the piece and the reading of it. And I am thrilled you enjoyed meeting David — we have gotten up to many more shenanigans, many of which I plan to share in due time.
Thanks again, friend. I can’t explain how much I appreciate you being here. :)
The thing I love most about this great piece is the reminder to the rest of us to talk TO people, regardless of their intellectual or physical capacity. I try very hard to do this in my clinical practice. I work with many children and as soon as they are capable of speech I try my best to speak directly to them and will confer with their parent after the child has already told me their story. I hope David got his red bike to add to his quiver. Did you know a group of bikes is a quiver? Or at least it is in the Rocky Mountains! What is a group of skateboards called - like when one person owns five boards? It might be a quiver too.
Yes! Thank you Donna. I can’t explain how much it annoys me when people don’t talk to David directly, especially because he knows what’s going on, like he knows he’s not being involved and it’s just unfair to him. And so, I’m really glad you picked up on that part. And I’m happy to hear that you offer the same consideration to kids.
Also, you totally stumped me on the collection of skateboards question. I like to think I know everything about skateboarding but I didn’t know that. I had to look it up, and apparently there is no agreed upon collective noun for a collection of skateboards — which explains why I didn’t know what it was. But apparently sometimes quiver is used because apparently it’s borrowed from surfing. Either way I love the question! And just so you know, I do have a quiver of skateboards, I have four at the moment haha :)
This is so damned cute, and so many lol moments! (Yes, Barbra was a hack!) Well done, Michael - the day out with David, and the story.
Thank you Troy! I’m glad you appreciated both the cuteness and the humour. I tried to offer up a bit of both so I didn’t come across as the full on sappy sentimental sensitive soul that I am.
Ha! I know right!? She was such a hack! Haha
Thanks again brother, I really appreciate it :)
I'm glad David got to ride the red bike! I'm touched by how you helped him live his dream for the day. There are apparently quokkas in a zoo not far from here, but I don't think I'll be rushing there any time soon. However, the pandas have all left (global politics), so I guess the plucky little quokkas will have to step up...
Thank you Jeffrey. I really appreciate that. It’s one of the perks of my job to be able to make David’s day every once in a while.
Ohh that’s so interesting, I don’t know why I made this assumption, but I assumed that quokkas weren’t the type of animal that’d be in any zoos. But there ya go. And yes, if I were you I wouldn’t be rushing off to see them either hahaha
Thanks again for reading and commenting :)