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OT: Story - Gee, Thanks

Nowadays, when I go out, we usually have the wheelchair in the back of Bob's SUV, for when I need it. But, if I go out with a friend or my mom, their cars don't have room for the wheelchair, and I have to rely on one of the loaner chairs available in most stores.

But the loaner chairs are getting harder to find. Many stores are replacing the plain old wheelchairs with scooter/tricycle things that run on an electric motor. Some covert observation of the users of these things has showed the users to be (1) ginormously fat (not "I ate a half gallon of ice cream" -- more like "I eat a five gallon can of hot fudge each day before breakfast"); (2) have no manners whatsoever. These people race their scooters between carriages and pedestrians with fire in their eyes, hoping to rack up points in all the carnage.

There's one woman we see quite regularly (at a buffet restaurant - see point #1) who rams the backs of your legs with her scooter and curses you if you get between her and the hot food line. While she's doing this, she is chatting on her cell phone and loudly announcing that she's handicapped. I live in fear that if I got within twelve miles of one of those scooters, I'd be thought of as some relative of this beast.

On Friday, my mother was going to take me on a shopping trip to Costco, and we were discussing details over dinner the night before. Bob pointed out that the past few times he's been to Costco without me, the manual wheelchairs were nowhere to be seen, and everyone had to use the scooters. I whined that I didn't want to use a scooter, "because all the scooter people are fat and mean."

DD looked up from her supper with an evil gleam in her eye and a "this is gonna be good" smile on her face. "It's okay, Mama. We'll just make a sign to put on your back that says 'I'm Not Mean,' so the people won't have to be so afraid of you."

After pausing for a moment to see if she'd finish the statement, I asked about why she didn't mention fat.

Laughing uproariously at having "got" me, she answered, "Well, the people can see you for themselves, can't they? Let's just leave it at 'Not Mean.'"

Then she patted my head condescendingly, and ran off before I could kick her in the butt.

Kathy N-V

Reply to
Kathy N-V
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Boy do I know what you are talking about. I can't stand it when they zoom around.

You joke about it, but I won't ride on one cause I feel like people are going to say something. So I struggle along. I tried a scooter once and didn't care for it.

One year at the state fair, my son and husband decided they didn't want me holding them up so they got a loaner chair. My husband did fine, however my teenage son decided that I was speedracer. LOL He scared the dickens out of me though. It wasn't funny then, but it is now.

Reply to
Debbie B

I"m sorry, but ROFLOLPIMP....

Reply to
Jalynne

Funny, we've had the opposite problem. When my hubby rides the store scooters, we have people in carts trying to run over him, and he's big - he weighs in over 300. He really resisted using them for a long time, but it's better than getting an asthma attack or having his knees or hips give out. And what about those aisles that aren't wide enough for even a regular cart to push thru. What are they thinking?

Reply to
Karleen/Vibrant Jewels

I see on tv they sell those scooters for home use....

(scuttling away quickly myself) Sarajane

Sarajane's Polymer Clay Gallery

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Reply to
Sjpolyclay

Some places put so many things IN the isle that it is difficult for even skinny people with just those little hand carried baskets to get through.... Home Depot is horrid for doing that kind of thing-- stacks of new stock, those mobile scaffolds the staff se to get stuff off the top shelves.... The markets with those "cute" stand alone displays of "accessory" items for what ever the main shelf items are.... And heaven forbid that people with baskets need to pass each other in opposite directions. If I can, I drag #2 son with me shopping-- park the basket at one end of an isle, and send him down after whatever, or make him wait with the basket.... Kaytee "Simplexities" on

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Reply to
Kaytee

Maybe you should tell them to move to Kathys' place..

I would try to think up a real nasty surprise for someone like that! Especially the Beast!! Tell her something along the lines of that having a disability doesn't give her a licence to be rude and arrogant.

I would have a t-shirt made up especially for her and wear it when I was going to be anywhere the Beast was likely to be.... I'm not usually mean!!

Mavis

Reply to
AmazeR

Here, we have "Obstacle Bud".... Bob is the grouchy one that likes to start fights with Bud. Bob was a professional cattle herder... Bud is obviously still working as road block.... Kaytee "Simplexities" on

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Reply to
Kaytee

Bah, that would annoy me, cos if I'm feeling bad enough to need a store wheelchair then holding my arms out to the "handlebars" is the most knackering, uncomfortable position imagineable - I've tried it. Not to mention that being young (22) I feel weird in a scooter, I think I stand out less in a wheelchair.

Reply to
Helen Page

Helen,

I feel the same way. I can't walk far distances and on bad days I can't stand in a line long enough to check out, but since I'm so young (same age as you), I feel very strange using a scooter (or even a wheelchair). I don't know why I should feel that way, I usually don't care what people think, but I don't want someone to think that I'm using to play on or something, when there are people with more dibilitating handicaps than I. I look able-bodied enough because it's all internal.

Valerie

Valerie Website:

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Reply to
Valerie

I'm ok about using a wheelchair, because you do see younger people in them from time to time. Although I know younger people use scooters (a couple of them were in a charity magazine I get) I have never seen a young person in a scooter (other than myself on one occasion when a wheelchair wasn't available), only older people. I guess that's why it feels odd.

I don't care either, I know how much a wheelchair helps when I'm ill enough to be using one (thankfully I'm managing without at the moment, which is good when you don't have anyone available to push!). Usually if I go to get up to reach something someone will notice and rush to help me so I only get out if I can't maneuver into a shop in it - I've never had any comments about that. No comments even when I got out of it in Hobbycraft and used it as a trolley, though I was leaning pretty heavily on the handles!

Same here, I look perfectly normal unless I'm ill enough to be pale/puking/collapsed in a chair. And if I'm that ill I'm generally at home recovering.

Reply to
Helen Page

Which is a highly recommended course of action - I tested it out today and give it 5 out of 5! ;) (biscuit M&Ms and malteasers)

Reply to
Helen Page

Right! If it's that bad, you aren't even out!

Valerie Website:

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Reply to
Valerie

LOL! Good one! I like it.

Valerie Website:

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Reply to
Valerie

ROFL! Yeah...although in my case it's a book. ;-) That's great medicine and works better than pain meds. You are able to totally escape your body and join in in someone else's adventures and do the things they can. :-)

Valerie Website:

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Reply to
Valerie

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