Written by Kristine Steiner
I have a few favorite things, but I really like working and cowboy movies. My most favorite job was working at the Country Buffet Restaurant. I was able to help prep food, wash dishes, and clean the front of the house. I worked there for about six years, with my friend Sarah, but then the restaurant closed and I lost my job.
I keep myself busy working at Hillcroft. My favorite job is being the material handler. That’s when I get to take out the garbage. I only work at Hillcroft for half a day, and when I get home I make myself lunch. My favorite lunch is a turkey sandwich.
Next year, I am going to retire from Hillcroft.
I like to go to the movies and I like to take my girlfriend to the movies when we go on dates. I like cowboy movies and I even have my own John Wayne movie. Right now, I want to take my girlfriend to see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
I have some other favorite things like bowling, and my brother. I was in the Special Olympics for bowling. I won lots and lots of medals and trophies, and I even won a gold medal. I don’t have all of my trophies anymore because they were so big they took up too much room so now I only have my most favorite trophies. I don’t bowl much anymore because I’m getting too old, but maybe I will try it again someday.
Ray Curtis is my brother. We were found by ourselves wandering the streets of New Castle when we were young. A nice lady took us in and we lived with her for a while and then we came to live at Hillcroft. I don’t know what happened to our birth father. Our birth mother passed away two years ago and I miss her. Ray and I got to visit her at the nursing home where she lived, talk with her on the phone, and spend the holidays with her.
Ray and I used to live in the same apartment complex, but we both had our own apartment. I didn’t like my apartment much because it was small and I had to climb the stairs to get to it, but I always kept it very, very clean. Now, Ray and live together in the same supported living house, and we get to see each other all the time. I like living in the same house with Ray because he’s my younger brother and I get to help take care of him.
I have more favorite things, like country music, Christmas, and going on adventures.
At Christmas I get to go shopping and buy presents for people, including my girlfriend and my brother Ray. I get to help decorate the tree, and I get lots of presents from other people. Christmas is my favorite holiday!
I have been on many, many adventures. I’ve traveled to Chicago, Washington D.C., Florida, Bahamas, and I’ve even been to the Mall of America in Minnesota. My favorite place was Chicago because it was the closest, and I got to travel by car. My friend Evelyn Wyatt says I’m a backseat driver, but that’s okay because when I travel with Evelyn I get to go on adventures.
When I retire, I will go on more adventures. I may not go very far, but I will have fun. I will walk around the block and I will sit on the porch and watch the cars go by. Someday, I would like to go for a ride in a hot rod car. Hot rod cars are my favorite and I collect them. I would like to go very fast like my hot wheels. I would also like to take an adventure to Tennessee so I can see the mountains and the deer. Did you know that sometimes it gets cold in Tennessee? If I get to go to Tennessee, I will play country music on the radio and listen to my favorite singer, Elvis Presley.
And my last favorite things are growing a vegetable garden and cooking food. I like to help grow the vegetables in the garden, but this year someone mowed down the corn and the herbs. I wanted to eat the corn, but now it’s gone. Maybe next year I can grow more corn, because that’s my favorite. I also like to grow tomatoes because they are my favorite too.
Cooking is fun. I used to do it when I worked at the Country Buffet. Now I get to help make dinner by making salad and vegetables. I have to watch my diet and my weight, you know, because I have hypertension and a heart condition. I’m watching my weight very carefully and it’s not going anywhere.
Did I mention I have a few favorite things?
Kristine Steiner lives in the historic district of Muncie, Indiana with her husband, Tom, and their 16 year old daughter, Emily. When she isn’t working as a Paralegal for the insurance industry, you’ll find Kristine tending to her vegetable and flower gardens, and working with Tom on restoring their 1880’s home.
This story originally appeared in Facing Disabilities in East Central Indiana, a publication of The Facing Project that was organized by Hillcroft Services in Muncie, Indiana.