Food strike

Please don't bring up my allergy in public. I hate talking about it. It always happens when I'm out with a group of friends and theres that one person who I don't know too well. Food comes into the room, I decline politely, and the barrage of questions that I've almost memorized the answers to comes at me. Again. I do whatever I can to avoid it but inexplicably, it always finds a way through. It makes me really uncomfortable, and for me, thats a feat. So let me get some things straight.

• Yes, I'm allergic to chicken. Don't ask why, I don't know.
• How do I get by? I eat a lot of steak and noodles. And fish.
• I can't eat many types of fruit, because I'm hyper-sensitive to pollen.
• Don't feel the need to get concerned or cater to me if I can't eat something you offer me. I've fed myself for years without your help. The last thing I need is to feel like a burden.
• Don't tell me it sucks. Because if you think about it, I'm not really missing much.
• Don't try to haggle me into eating something. If you say, "Oh, it's just bread. It doesn't have peanuts in it," you are only showing your ignorance, and passing it off as if you are willing to have my death on your hands.
• Stop digging through my purse, and don't touch my epi-pens. I need those to stay right where they are.
• Please don't get offended if I don't want to sit next to you due to your peanut butter sandwich. You probably don't notice it, but peanuts have a suffocating smell, and it reminds me only of fear and pain. I made Hillary drive with the windows down in the snow because she decided to eat half a bag of peanut M&M's.

There. I guess thats it. I'm sure I sound like I'm overreacting, but this has gotten me teased, taunted, tricked and talked about nonstop since I was about 5. I don't like being the center of attention, I never could handle it. Thats one of the reasons I quit theatre. So, just be sensitive if you can, and please trust that I know what I'm doing.