I must admit, I got a little bit suspicious of the team leaders when they called a special meeting at 2pm on a Thursday and told us that diseases weren’t real; they were just people pretending, because they all want attention. Okay, first…it’s really hard to get off work at that time. I had to tell my boss it was a family emergency, and even then, I felt dishonest. Second, we’ve been told for years that diseases are a scourge, they prove that the Earth in inferior to the Moon, and they’re something we’re longing to escape. And third…I have plantar fasciitis. It’s NOT for attention; it’s a very serious foot condition and I’ve been to visit the podiatrist near me multiple times. They basically told me that it’s a symptom of society, and that I was so entrenched in Earth culture that I truly believed I had a common foot condition but it wasn’t true. So, that didn’t turn out well, nor did it ease the pain.
Fourth, they were the ones who told us to work these jobs to gather materials for the rocket and the Lunar Kingdom, but going back to number three, plantar fasciitis is NOT fun. I know I should have taken better care of my feet, but we can’t afford fancy custom orthotics or ortho-heel sandals or any of that. The group says that we need to keep building the rocket, and now they’re trying to make me feel extra bad for wanting orthotics and all that. Well…I think I’m done. This has been a way of life, but I’m ready to start a NEW way of life. A way of life in which I can get some arch support insoles and treatments for common foot conditions, and not feel bad, because I know it’s all real. My first ever orthotics…wow. This is going to feel good, I hope. No more limping!
-Ingrid