Our oral stories
I asked a girl out in high school
she said no
because of my disability
it was winter time
at the station
sitting downstairs and waiting for the train
we were at the same school but we had separate areas
mine for people with disabilities
has was for single mothers or people who had dropped out of school.
I asked her out
she said no
I know you are a person with a disability I don't want to go out with a person with a disability
I asked her why
I am a calm person and your boyfriend is a jackass
she said she didn't care
she felt weird going out with a person with a disability
I told her, is going to get you
for your rejection
it could happen to you, to your kids and you will remember me.
I left with my friends
I was pissed
I was rejected
I thought this is going to be my life.
Rejection
I asked my friend on the train do you have a girlfriend?
He said yes
a regular high school girl.
I ask him
how you did that?
He said I lied to her.
she had already fallen in love with him.
Me, I am an honest person.
I don’t like to lie.
My story is my truth
PART II
my high school asked me to stop training for a job
I went over to the veterans hospital
I was a volunteer
I was training to do a job
and there I met a high school girl
she was so gorgeous
I was so nervous
I had had rejection before.
So I was flirting with her most of the time
not even seriously.
I didn't think she would be interested.
So the next day my friend debreeze
my friend said
talk to her don't be scared.
I ask her out and she said yes
I was in shock
I was pinching myself
am I dreaming?
She say yes?
To me?
I take her out to 116th on the east side
El Barrio
we got some Spanish food
we started talking
she told me she was a regular high school girl.
she was Chinese.
a father was black.
I said you look more Spanish and she laughed.
I felt happy.
my first time going out with a woman.
- Jose Guardiola