🧰 The Problem is Back

"Damn spinal implant broke again... Hey! Stop staring like it's something sexy!"

"You know, I've always said you could work in a circu-"

"SHUT UP and fix it PROPERLY this time!!"

"But what did you do this time?"

"I- ugh... I lifted a crate of supplies. It's not like it's the first time I've done it!"

"Well, maybe if you didn't insist on doing everything yourself, we could get somewhere. But no, you have to be a hero all the time... Alright, let's take a look at it, Mr. Bendy..."

🧰 🧰 🧰

As I sit here in the garage, surrounded by greasy tools and hissing machines, I can't help but think back to my life before this. As far back as I can remember, I have always had problems with my back. It was like my spine was made of origami paper, folding and bending in ways that should have been impossible.

Growing up was tough. My classmates would constantly ask me to show them my "bendy" tricks, and the older kids would even bully me into doing weird things for their amusement. It got to the point where I just couldn't take it anymore, so I dropped out of school and found work as a mechanic.

At first, I was nervous about working with cars and bikes. What if I broke something important? What if I couldn't fix it? But as I delved deeper into the world of mechanics, I found that my unique condition was actually quite useful in my line of work.

As a mechanic, there were plenty of tasks that required reaching areas that were difficult or impossible for others to access. With my foldable back, I was able to bend and contort my body in ways that nobody else could, allowing me to reach tight spaces and hard-to-reach areas with ease.

One time, I even used my condition to fix a complex issue with the ventilation system that had stumped everyone else for years. By using my origami back to access hard-to-reach parts of the system, I was able to identify and repair the problem in no time. It was a small victory, but one that made a big difference to the people living on the station.

Whenever something was hard to reach for everyone else, my body could bend like a robot and allow me to reach almost anywhere. And best of all, my coworkers treated me with respect and didn't ask me to do any tricks or gimmicks.

Sure, I still have my fair share of accidents. Sometimes I'll be in the middle of repairing a bike and suddenly my back will fold like a book again, making me look like a pygmy. But my coworkers just give me a weird look and offer to help me up. It's not like they're laughing at me or anything.

As much as I hate going to the doctor, I know it's important for maintaining my back implants. Sometimes they get loose or out of alignment and I need to go in for adjustments. The worst part is when the doc makes fun of my foldable back and says I could have made a career in the circus or sports. It's like he thinks it's some kind of joke. But I know he's just trying to lighten the mood, and deep down I think he's a good guy.