What Do I Do With My Drink At A Party?

My whole life I’ve had to mentally prepare before entering new situations.

I don’t say this to gain sympathy or pity.

I just say it to highlight the fact of it being an experience of individuals living with a disability.

It’s made me incredible at anticipating future events.

It’s also made me paranoid and anxious.

Some situations require more preparation than others.

One situation I was reminded of recently is this:

What do I do with my drink at a party?

I assume this isn’t a thought at the forefront of an abled bodied individual’s mind.

But for me, the moment I get a drink in my hand I have to think of where to put it when I’m 

introduced to someone new.

Because when you meet someone new you need to shake their hand.

But my only shakable hand is holding the cup.

And if I didn’t think ahead of time then I’m stuck either smiling and refusing the handshake,

Or running to find a spot to place my drink for a few moments.

And if I’m feeling really brave I could hold the cup between my teeth to free up my hand.

(This really only works if it’s a plastic cup.)

And then I can’t say my name.

It’s just me silently shaking a had with a cup hanging out of my mouth.

Either way, I’m gonna get some stares as people try to figure out what I’m doing.

This is all different if the party is happening at a restaurant where everyone is seated.

The table is there to hold my drink.

See how exhausting all this “thinking ahead” is.

I guess the answer would be to just avoid having a cup in my hand altogether.

But who would that be benefitting?

I’d be doing it just to save someone else from feeling awkward.

And I am definitely over that at this point in my life.

Writing this all out makes me want to laugh hysterically and cry.

Is it a lament?

Or the beginning of a stand-up routine?

I’ll let you interpret it as you will.

It’s just my experience being shared.