Amen (says the spiritual atheist)

Read this.

Dedicated to the woman at the Walnut Creek Whole Foods who approached CL and said, "Wow, you are SO LUCKY to be shopping in a wheelchair.  You don't have to carry anything, and walking won't make you tired.  Do you even realize how lucky you are?"

CL:  "Uh huh. Unfortunately, my chair is not a luxury item, like your BMW."

Or, the Safeway check-out clerk who asked CL's personal care attendant (Miss J), "are you this special lady's caregiver?  You are so brave to help her out.  I wish we had more people like you, to help those who are, um,  you know-- special."  Then, the check-out person turned to CL and said- very slowly and loudly-- "what a good girl you are, to do your very own shopping!"

(later)
Miss J:  What was that about?
CL: She thought I was slow.
Miss J:  Slow?
CL:  Mentally challenged, mentally handicapped.
Miss J:  What is that?
(pause)
CL:  Retarded.
Miss J:  WHAT?  Why did you not defend yourself?
CL:  Um, first time anyone in my life has ever assumed I was mentally handicapped, in some way.  I was speechless.
Miss J:  You need to go back, defend yourself, let her know that you are not retarded."
CL:  And say what?  She thought she was being nice, kind, open-minded. Asserting myself after-the-fact would embarrass her, and make me look even more mentally challenged.  Next time, though?  I'll find a delicate way to say, "hey, this chair does not make me mentally--"
Miss J:  --retarded?
(pause)
CL:  Um, yeah. Retarded.

Thanks, S.K., for your insights this week.

ZEN

RIP Eddie

Now THIS is a wedding!

Congratulations Vanessa and Lin!

Cabbies, Service Dogs and Unneccesary Angst

For us?  Happens all the time in Boston and New York.  At Logan Airport, the security folks even had us wait OUTSIDE the line for a "special cab," and it took over 2 hours to find a cab to take us home to Cambridge.  They could care less if I was a service dog.  They did, however, charge us $20 more, because I sat with CL during the 10 minute drive home.

CL is not looking forward to returning to Boston in a wheelchair.  If they refuse service to a working dog, wonder how the cabbies at Logan Airport will treat a working dog and a woman living life on wheels?