^* A conclusion that, needless to say, I kept to myself. God knew I already provided would-be tormentors with a visible enough target—thick eyeglasses repaired at one or both hinges by a hunk of black electrician’s tape, conversant about Vulcan anthropology—without adding to it a sparkling coat of pixie dust. Even to pronounce the word “fairy” within earshot of certain individuals would be to dangerously echo and reinforce a judgment they had long since made about me.