“Hand Towel Access i.e. The Little Things”

Published in Mollyhouse, Issue 3 edited by Raymond Luczak, Handtype Press on July 17, 2021

The bathroom paper towel dispenser directions are clear – PULL BOTH HANDS

Meaning:
Lift one arm up, twist wrist, palm up, grip paper towel on corner between 5 fingers and thumb.
Lift other arm up, turn wrist, palm up, clasp 5 fingers to thumb, grasping the other corner of paper towel.
Apply equal pressure, pulling downwards on each side – gently!
Don’t let go! To dislodge your single serving, bend one elbow up and sideways ripping on perforated edge.

When I try, arm extended, elbow straight, turned as sideways as arm can go, one finger to thumb, pinching towel.
I try yanking down from the middle,                                    
I get a tiny scrap of paper.

Next time, I tug down hard on one side.                                         
I get a dime size piece.

With Crip tenacity, I consider the situation carefully.
This time, I press towel, ever so softly, with one finger, as centered as I can get, against the side of the other arms curled wrist,
a firm two-hand pinch.
I exhale the breath I’ve been holding to coordinate such a position, focus, and pull down smoothly, but with force                                 
– only to get a perfectly round tidbit of brown paper towel.

Day after day, public bathroom after bathroom, I’m reminded, individuality isn’t served here.
The deserving, are those functionally just like the others.
Cookie cutter people for this single serving world.