Unforeseen connection

TW DISCUSSED TRANSPHOBIC HATE CRIME

"Have we met before?"

"I don't... think so?" Uncertainty permeated the way the sentence was said, a lack of knowledge that seemed to differ from the way the original question was asked. "I'm recovering from a traumatic brain injury, so my memory isn't - if we met in the past three months, I wouldn't remember."

"Oh. Shit. Sorry, you just looked like someone I knew in high school, and I've just moved home after graduating university, and was really hoping someone my age had come back, but... I'm sorry you're dealing with that. Traumatic brain injury, damn, that's... that's fucked."

"I guess, yeah. I had just done a bunch of networking events before it happened, too, so it's extremely likely I will run into someone I met recently and not remember who they are."

"If you explain what you just told me, I'm sure they won't hold it against you."

"Yeah but then they know I have a brain injury, which means they'll be thinking about me as disabled rather than competent."

"Those aren't opposites, though, disabled and competent. The opposite of competent is incompetent, and if you were able to show you weren't incompetent before, you can probably do it again."

"Problem is, I don't remember if I did well or bombed the networking events, and my parents always pretend I've done perfectly because they want me to get a job and move out, so I can't know if I'm competent. Sorry, I shouldn't be dumping all this on you when we don't even know each other."

"Well, that can change easily. I'm Natalie. You are?"

"Jules." The name didn't suggest a gender, nor did their all black ensemble, earrings, a small amount of facial hair but in such a way as to make Natalie unsure if it was intentional, and the unmistakable presence of breasts in Jules' silhouette.

"I'm sorry, what're your pronouns? I use she/her," Natalie politely inquired. 

"Figured. He/him, though I can't exactly correct people when they decide I'm wrong about who I am. That's what caused the traumatic brain injury - I was attacked for using the men's bathroom."

"What the fuck! That's - I'm so sorry that happened! And yeah, that's - that's one reason to keep your injury from potential employers."

"Yeah, we can't legally discriminate, but we also have no obligation to hire you. The world's worst catch-22. So, Natalie, where did you go to high school? Maybe we did know each other back then." 

Natalie stated the name of her high school. Jules shook his head.

"No, I lived in the other school district - though we did have to go to your school for like two months sophomore year when they did the renovations."

"I remember that! God, high school was so long ago. I should probably get going..." Natalie started walking again - she had been headed to the convenience store. 

"Wait!" Jules handed over his phone. "Here, put your number in, we can hang out sometime. It'll be nice to interact with a human being who isn't trying to determine how productive I will be."

"Sure," Natalie typed in her contact information, then texted herself so she would have his number. Whether or not she would use it was an open question, but she would have it if she wanted a new friend. Now, she still needed to buy pain medication, multivitamins, and she had been planning on rewarding herself with candy...

Jules took a deep breath. He hated how he tended to share way too much early on in a relationship. Friendship, not relationship. Jules couldn't do relationships, not when - well, why didn't matter. Still, Natalie only slightly pitied him for what he had said, and her reframing of disability and competency as not opposites was reassuring. Maybe Jules could figure out this whole job thing. He had an interview he was dreading scheduled next week, one that had been planned before he had been beaten and that his parents strongly encouraged him to not cancel.

Natalie bought her convenience store items and walked back to her parents' house. She hadn’t realized just how lucky she was, but... goddamn, being unable to remember the past three months would have had her locked inside her house, never to leave again, but this Jules guy not only seemed okay outside, he didn't seem scared of her. Not that Natalie saw herself as a threat, she wasn't - she may not understand what being transgender was like but she had friends from university who were transgender and Natalie would never intentionally be violent towards anyone unless they were violent first. But still, the thought of interacting with the public after a traumatic brain injury impressed Natalie, even though it made her feel extremely unremarkable in comparison. She had never broken a bone, had never been in a fight, forgot people's names and faces because she was bad at being human - Natalie knew her period was probably what had her thoughts spiraling this direction, so she took another pill and waited to pass out on her bed.

Jules thought about Natalie when he tried to sleep that night. Her brown eyes, her sad half-smile when she had expressed negative emotions on his behalf, her curled brown hair when she walked away, the way their hands had touched for a moment when Jules handed her his phone. Jules couldn’t do relationships, but he could pretend, and it was a pleasant fantasy before falling asleep.

The two went multiple days before reconnecting. Jules spent those days as he often spent his days, writing fanfiction or applying for jobs he likely would never hear back from, while Natalie also applied for jobs and was lucky enough to get some interviews. It was the day before on of her interviews she texted Jules.

Hey this is Natalie, we met at the intersection between Dartmouth and Com Ave,

Hey! Yeah I remember you Jules texted back, grateful to have an excuse to stop fruitlessly searching Craigslist for miscellaneous employment. What’s up?

Job interview tomorrow - you said you did a bunch of networking stuff and forgot it all after your surgery. Have u had any interviews since? 

I wish lol. Why?

I forgot the name of the woman who interviewed me over the phone so idk who I’m meeting with.

lol, that sounds like a problem I would have, sorry I can’t help you though. Maybe check the company website and search for her number?

Yes! I hadn’t thought of that but I found her! Thank you!

No problem.

Jules?

Yeah

If I get this job, I can take you out for a meal or something some time. Your parents wanted you out of the house more, so I could help with that, plus I need an actual friend too.

That’d be nice. Maybe even if you don’t get the job we could still meet up again.

😎