Orgy

Joe needed needs new glasses and we went to the mall today because we had a gift certificate for Lenscrafters there. We couldn't remember where it was in the mall, but we were both convinced it was in the mall's lower level. We entered, found a directory and discovered that the store was at the other end in the upper level. But it was Saturday, we weren't in a hurry, why not visit the mall. I actually feel bad about calling it a mall because the radio commercial keeps telling me that it's a 'shopping resort'. Cool.

I spotted a store called 'Teaopia' that sold ... umm ... tea. So we stopped there first and a really charming clerk spent a fair bit of time with us pulling out these huge cannisters of teas from around the world and letting us experience the fragrence and soon we had a line up of three bags of expensive tea. The clerk was great, it was like he didn't notice or didn't care that I was in the chair. He realized right off that I was the tea junkie and therefore didn't have that annoying habit that some clerks have of speaking to me through Joe. Nice.

So we went along the shores of the resort, popping into this store or that, finding a cute little winter coat for baby Ruby at H and M, and finally picking out the glasses at Lenscrafters. The clerk there was one of those automatons. There was a pair of glasses that I thought looked great on Joe but he had some concerns about the lugs. I put them on so he could see that the lugs were invisible when on. The clerk approached. Saw me in the glasses. "They bring out your eyes," she said, seriously, she said that. Joe said, "Umm, I'm buying the glasses," she waited until he put on the glasses, "They bring out your eyes," she said, again. Joe has blue eyes, I have green. Uh, huh, but despite her we bought the glasses. Done.

Then we decided to have a bite at the food court. I was wheeling around looking for the exact thing I wanted to eat. The food court has a long wooden railing around the seating area. I like these because I pull myself with one hand using the railing and wheel with the other hand. I go much faster, it feels freeing. When I get to the end, I know exactly how to release from the railing and make a sharp turn. A woman watching me said, "You are sure good in that thing. I'm impressed." Now, I know that she's being kindly. But, really. She's impressed because I can wheel myself and make a turn? It takes that little of an accomplishment to make me an inspiration? Really. Is the bar set so low that merely getting about is worthy of comment? Really.

A while back Elizabeth McClung, a fellow OUCH blogger, who I admire because she wrote an incredible novel, Zed, that I'm now reading. This to me is a REAL accomplishment. A little bigger than turning a corner in a wheelchair. Anyways, Elizabeth, wrote an OUCH blog full of complaints about having a disability. I love how she challenges orthodoxy even on OUCH. So, she asked others what aspects of disability are worthing of a good moan. I wrote in my commets to her blog that I found that being in a wheelchair means that the oddest people feel that they have a right to break into my world with commentary. I thought of Elizabeth in the 'shopping resort' looking at this woman with the beautific smile. She'd complimented a cripple, surely there's a special part of heaven for her and her ilk. But, I was in a good mood. I had expensive tea in my wheelchair bag, I was about to lunch with Joe, my day wasn't going to turn on this incident. So I smiled back, and refrained from congratulating her on the fact that she seemed to balance really well in her chair, as good as I did in mine. Enough.

So today, Sunday, we're going out again. I think I'll thrill the world by pulling myself up the ramp at the theatre. What an orgy of awe that should bring.