Clear Enough?

Color Blind - affected with partial or total inability to distinguish one or more chromatic colors.

I am color blind. I see ONLY black, white, and a few shades of gray. When ever I look at other colors I try to compare it with black or white so I can try and guess what the color is. I once was able to see red and yellow but they left me over time. I hate to tell people that I'm color blind. Partly because it's a little embarrassing for me, but mostly because of the process that follows. It always happens the same way and in the same order. It makes me question the intelligence in others sometimes. Here's how it goes.

Stage One - I can't avoid it anymore and when I'm with a friend I tell the person that I am color blind. The person asks me if I'm lieing. I tell them that I am telling the truth.

Stage Two - The person decides to test me in case it's a trick. It's a dumb test but how else are they going to believe me? They point to an object and ask me what color it is. I always reply "I don't know" and then I guess a random color. Some how I seem to guess the correct color. It happens almost everytime and I don't understand how.

Stage Three - This is where my friend jumps in and assures the person that I am color blind. Then the person tries again this time with an article of clothing that I'm wearing. Obviously I'll get that right because I already asked someone else what color it is in advance. I explain this to the person. Then they ask what color are the clothes that they're wearing. I tell them "I don't know". Then I repeat the colors I can see over again.

Stage Four - I hate this stage the most. Once I repeat the colors I can see one more time they give me one last test before the process is complete. This last test is what makes me question the intelligence of others. They tell me to guess what color their clothes are.. Even today I have no idea why that makes any difference in their decision of whether or not I am telling the truth but everyone always tells me to guess. So I humor them and guess. Sometimes I get it right and they look at me like I'm a dog that just did a cool trick. Or when I get it wrong they look at me like they finally get that I'm not lieing. Either way the person has now accepted the fact that I am telling the truth. Hereby completing the process.

I find this process both stupid and pointless. I grow tired of jumping through the same hoops everytime I tell someone that I'm a little different. Now that I think about it, maybe I'm not really embaressed about my disability. Maybe it's the feeling that after I tell someone about it, for the next couple of minutes I become nothing more then their new science expirement.