I was at the checkout in a supermarket this afternoon and an elderly woman walked past as I squeaked and hit my chest. She stopped and looked at me while I continued to squeak so I smiled at her. The woman asked me if I was alright and I said I was. She continued to stare so I explained that I had Tourettes but that didn’t seem to mean anything to her.

“I have a problem with my brain that makes me move and make noises I can’t control,” I said.

She shook her head and walked away without saying anything.

The man waiting in front of me turned and said, “I bet you get tired of explaining that all the time.”

I don’t mind explaining about Tourettes or answering questions if people are interested and friendly, but I got the strong impression that this woman thought I was making it all up.