I have lived in my town of 850 people for eight years. I doubt that there are much more than thirty people who would know who I was if I were found unconscious in the middle of a street within a block of my residence.
When I go out in public I am friendly and courteous. I’ve been married for almost 10 years but because of my disability, I have been unable to sponsor my wife to live with me here in Canada. My excellent and extensive health care, full prescription coverage (no deductible or co-payments), complete dental care, and vision care needs are provided free here and almost half my income also depends on my continued residence in this Canadian Province. That is why I could not afford to take up residence in the USA. I would not never seek to reside in the USA even if I were offered permission to do so
Despite the fact that I have explained this politely both verbally and in writing to the staff at the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) they continue to treat me treat me with unjustified suspicion when I want to cross the border to visit my wife for short periods (e.g. a week or so) Despite my severe chronic back pain, they routinely force me to come in and sit in the waiting area on a steel bench for up to an hour each time without even asking me any questions or examining the detail log I keep (at their suggestion) of my travels into and out of the USA. They refuse to explain my they force me to sit in “time out.” They won’t even admit that I have been selected for such treatment let alone why they do this to me.
I carry a Nexus card, issued jointly by CBP and Immigration Canada which is issued only to Trusted Travellers. This routine harassment at the US Border keeps me from spending more than a little time with my wife in her apartment in the USA.
My wife is not subjected to such trouble when she enters Canada as long as her visits with me in Canada do not exceed the duration she specifies on her arrival at the border. In an average month, we are required to be apart far more than we are permitted to spend visiting each other.
We manage to see each other 7 to 11 days per month.
My wife is my only source of regular human contact. She brings out the best in me, more so than any other person I have known in my 58 years of life. Her emotional support and excellent insight into other people routinely brings out the best in me. She continues to help me maintain and build the relationships I have with my children and our grandchildren.
It is because of how she brings out the best in me, that I manage to remain cheerful and to demonstrate an optimistic and positive attitude.