I have to tell you something - I don't drive

We live in a completely car-centric society and sometimes I don't know what's more of a challenge: telling people I have a form of epilepsy - or breaking the horribly unusual news to them that I don't drive- and at my age!
I met a couple of women at the weekend and arranged to see them this week - and then the awkward happened. (Bear in mind that epilepsy is a hidden condition and they had absolutely no idea that I had it.)
Woman Number 1 gave me driving instructions to her house.

Me: "I don't drive. Are you near a train station or on a bus route?"

WN1: "You don't drive???"

Me: "No, but I'll get to you by public transport."

WN1: "How?"

Me:" I don't exactly know yet but if you're not near a train station I can look up bus routes."

Woman Number 1 looked at Woman Number 2 with a 'that's odd, what-have-we-got-here' expression.

WN2 said: "How did you get here?"

Me: "Walked."

WNs1&2: "Walked!"

I was beginning to find this amusing, but also a bit difficult.

Me: "Yes, walked."

They thought about that for a minute...legs as a form of transport. Then -

WN2: "If you don't drive, how do you do your food shopping. I couldn't carry mine."

Me: "Online. It gets delivered."

WN2: "I prefer to do it myself - you can never be sure what you get."

Me: "Yes, I'd prefer to do it myself too but I don't drive so I have to work around it."

Now they have me cornered. Either I let them believe that I choose not to drive because I'm lazy and haven't bothered to learn or I'm banned because of an offence. I could make up a story about being kind to the environment but I'm not going to lie to help them out with their prejudice. So I tell them that the DVLA wouldn't give me a licence because I have a condition where I have a type of seizure - sometimes.

This somehow satisfies the two women. WN1 tells me the numbers of buses that go near her home and WN2 offers not only a lift home but also invites me to join her on a her next weekly shop.

I think the car thing is quite funny. People will spend hours bemoaning their weight (too much); diet (when they're going to start one). Then they jump in their car to drive a few yards down the road to buy a bunch of something they shouldn't be eating.

People ask me if my medication helps keep my weight off. I don't think so. It's not because we pop pills that the 'epileptic community' tend to stay fairly trim. It could be down to the fact that they're used to walking everywhere. Walking isn't a big deal or a huge exercise programme: it's a way of life.

(I still have seizures but those that haven't had one for a year - with or without medication - can reapply for their licence. Charities like Epilepsy Society have all the details)