Odd isn't it?
How it's OK.
I mean when it's you.
A couple of days ago I was going out for supper and it was a bitch getting to the table. They were packed in tightly and when I tried to remove a chair so that I could park mine there seemed to be nowhere to put it. The waiter comes, annoyed, and takes the chair away making a big deal about it.
Chairs.
Everywhere, chairs.
Clogging up passageways, limiting space.
Chairs an adaption that those who walk expect to have pretty much everywhere they go. I suppose they think it's a right.
AB's want it all. Expect it all.
Lights.
Big glaring overhead lights.
Casting harsh glow over the goods in the store and spilling out into the night.
Lights an adaption that the sighted expect to have pretty much every where they go. I suppose they think it's a right.
"I can't hear!"
"Speak up!"
Those damn hearing people sit at the back of the room and complain that they can't hear unless the microphone is turned up. They expect that sound will be there when they want it. I suppose they think it's their right.
The rooms too hot.
The rooms too cold.
Set the temperature for me, meet my needs.
AB's want the world adapted, completely, for maximum comfort.
And I'm being bothersome cause I want a ramp.
"Sorry, sorry," I say as I push the chairs out of the way and ignore the stares of those who have to move slightly. But I've just got to get out of there. The waiter holding the chair above his head watches me leave and can't figure out why.
When I go, I take my chair with me.
And leave the clutter to you.
Go ahead and adapt your world for you, I truly don't mind ... but could you leave a space at the table for me?
4 comments:
Dear Dave-I'm sorry, but I don't think you really have a case.The problem isn't chairs.AB's(which for all intents and purposes I am,I guess)have the right to arrange their world to suit them.To make things work.You have.You're not crawling from A to B.You have a wheelchair.You have arranged your world to suit you better.That's what those chairs in the AB's world are for.No,the problem isn't that.It's one person's(and everything starts with one person)unwillingness-I was about to write "inability",but we're able-UNWILLINGNESS-to take themselves OUT of their world, and into somebody else's.So, in this case, the waiter,who among other crap,isn't doing his job properly(like,that's customer service?)should be much more accomodating.The establishment itself should be roomier in the anticipation of people in wheelchairs.And the other patrons should be 'willing' to 'share' their 'able' world and help another because as you pointed out the fact that they live in an AB world and the fact that they are AB is not their right.They are just the majority.And the best thing in life is to give to others, to put yourself in somebody else's shoes(chair;).With respect,Frances.
What a crappy thing to have happen to you. But your ability to share it in a way that will make others not only think about it, but understand is extraordinary. You're so right, our society is so willing to change things to make themselves more comfortable but when it comes to being polite the effort is just too great, let alone to get out of the way! Very sad indeed!
Thank you, you're helping to educate me.
Best wishes
Frances, I think that was pretty much Dave's point -- I didn't get the sense that he blamed the chairs for his lack of access (though those were obviously the more *immediate* barrier for him). I think his point was *precisely* that there is no INHERENT difference between the kinds of accommodations that non-disabled people need (such as lights, or the ready availability of extra chairs for people who don't bring their own) adn the kinds of accommodations that disabled people need (not chairs, but a clear path that is wider than the clear path that walking people need). And non-disabled people need to learn to understand that, when disabled people demand accommodations, we're NOT asking for "special rights" -- so considering our needs (when designing buildings, or in daily interactions with the public) should be automatic and should not be viewed as an "inconvenience" but merely a part of ordinary business.
I guess this comes back to the point that disabled people (and Deaf people) have had to make to non-disabled, or hearing, or able-bodied people over and over for years -- the largest barrier we face in society is not our disability (or Deafness), but the ATTITUDES of non-disabled people who may be resistant to accommodating us even when those accommodations are actually pretty minor (inexpensive or free, and not really taking any more of their time than it would take to hold a door open for a person carrying multiple packages or pushing a baby stroller)
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