Work Text:
Matt groaned “This is such bullshit”
“Wow something got you to swear, it must be bad. What's up buddy?” Foggy asked from where he was sitting on his bed across the small dorm room.
“I’m researching accommodations for the Bar Exam and it's such bullshit. The application is 8 pages long and needs to be filled out by a health professional. They also ask about stuff like “eye health” and “Oculomotor skills” and “Binocular Evaluation” as if you don’t need to just shine a light in my eyes to see that they don’t respond. Literally all I need is a braille version. Why do they need all of this info? Also for every accommodation I request there needs to be a “justification.” I’m blind. Is that not justification enough!” Finally he stopped his rant. He knew he shouldn’t be getting as worked up as he was. This was his life and it always would be but it still pissed him off to no end. He took a few deep breaths.
“Wow Ok that is bullshit.”
“Right? Who is even going to fill this out for me? I don’t have the money to see an optometrist when I know damn well that I can’t see.”
“Ok I don’t know how but I am going to help you!”
—-----------------
He and Foggy spent the next two hours looking up optometrists in the area that would take Matt’s shitty insurance. They ended up finding one but he’d still have to pay $100.
“How do they even call this accessibility?” Foggy asked angrily “What if someone doesn’t have the money to do this? How do they even get away with this?”
“Institutional ableism” Matt deadpanned.
“Let me help you pay for this buddy.”
“No Foggy I’m not letting you do that.”
“No, come on, just let me pay for half of it. You shouldn’t have to do this bullshit on your own.”
“No, Foggy. I’ll figure it out. I still have a little scholarship money I can use, or I have some from my dad. I think he’d be ok with me using a little bit for this.”
“That's the thing! You shouldn’t have to do this! If they're going to make you see a doctor to fill out their stupid form they should at least pay for it!”
“Foggy this is just the kind of stuff I have to deal with. One of the reasons I’m studying law, so I can change them. Make it easier for people like me.”
“Ok but just let me help a little bit?”
“No.”
Foggy huffed “Fine. But, I’m coming with you to the appointment.” Matt felt bad, he was making things harder for Foggy. He should be able to do this by himself but he knew there was no use arguing with his friend, and deep down he was grateful he would be there.
“Fine. You can come.”
“Yay.”
—----------------
The day of the appointment came and Matt and Foggy took the subway to the clinic. Matt ended up splitting the fee between scholarship money and his inheritances. His stomach still ached a little when he handed the bills over though. They sat for a bit before his name was called. The nurse led him into the room and the doctor came in a few minutes later.
“Hello Mr. Murdock. My name is Dr. Rosetta. What can I do for you today? Your chart says you're completely blind has that seemed to change at all?”
“No,'' Matt gave a soft chuckle “still no light penetration. I actually just need a form filled out. I’m taking the Bar Exam in the summer and in order to get any sort of accommodations I need a doctor to fill out an application for me.” He held out the sheaf of paper.
“I see. Well I can probably help you with that. I will probably need to run a few tests first”
“Of course.” After about thirty minutes of tests and questions Matt had a completed form as well as two photocopies. The nurse led him out into the waiting room.
“Hey man how’d it go?” Foggy asked when he came out. Matt held up the three forms.
“I got them!” he said and Foggy cheered.
-----------
The next day he mailed them to the New York Bar Association.
“Oh god I hope they don’t try to deny my request.” He groaned.
“What that's a possibility?”
“Ya but it probably won't happen. It's pretty clear I can’t see.”
“they better not. If they do, I will personally fight whoever made that decision.”
“Oh please don’t I won’t be a lawyer so I won’t be able to represent you.”
“Damn, you have a point. I guess you will just have to fight them that way I can represent you!”
“Thanks buddy. I appreciate it.”
—-----------------
Matt got a letter in the mail two weeks later. Of course it wasn’t in braille so he had no idea what it was.
“Hey Foggy what is this? Someone decided to send me a normal letter.”
“Ha dumbasses” then Foggy caught sight of the letter “Oh shit its from the NYBA. Here let me.” He grabbed the letter “ Dear Mr. Murdock, We have received your application for a braille version of the New York Bar exam and have accepted your request. Hey!!! They didn’t reject you!”
Relief washed over Matt. He didn’t realize how much this had been stressing him out till the weight lifted from his shoulders. “Thank god. Is that all it says?”
“No there's some more but it's just about where you go for the test and stuff like that.”
“Good. Thanks for all your help with this Foggy. I seriously appreciate it.”
“Hey no problem! What are friends for?”
—----------------
The day of the test came. An army of butterflies had made their home in his stomach. He and Foggy split up. Foggy would take the test in a big room with everyone else but Matt was taking it in a smaller testing center. He was grateful for this. It would be much easier for him to focus on his test in a place with less people.
—-----------------
A month after the Bar two letters came in the mail. Of course the letter for Matt wasn’t in braille.
“Foggy can you” Matt held out the inaccessible letter.
“Ya of course. I’ll do your first.”
“What no, you can open your first if you want to.”
“No, I'm actually really nervous. What if I failed?”
“You didn’t Foggy, you’re going to be a great lawyer.” Matt heard the tell tail sound of an envelope ripping then Foggy started to read.
“ Dear Mr. Murdock, we are happy to inform you that you have passed the Bar Exam! Dude you passed! You’re gonna be a real lawyer!” Matt felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
“Ok now yours! I’m not going to be able to celebrate until I know you passed too.” He heard tearing again and Foggy mouthing the words as he read.
“I passed! We’re going to be lawyers!” They hugged for a long moment “We’re going to be the best damn avocados in this city!”
“Nelson and Murdock, Avocados at law”