Right now.
Exactly right now.
I'm on the phone booking airplane tickets. It's been 45 minutes now. I'm listening to terrible music, full of static, while the agent is off doing what agents do. I've just been informed that what I've requested will take a couple of days and several departments to do.
So what do I want that's so difficult?
I'm buying myself a second seat.
I know that I'm big. I know that I need an extra seat. Everyone who flies on the plane with me will be glad that I bought a second seat. Every staff who works the plane will be pleased that they don't have to deal with any social issues about me trying to sit next to someone else.
I hear people yelling about fat people and how we should buy second seats.
But I got to tell you.
They make it really hard.
I want to be clear, though, I'm being dealt with in a courteous and even friendly manner. The agent is apologetic for the difficult process that my request has kicked into place.
We're still not done.
Over the course of writing this I've had to stop several times to answer questions.
It's morning.
And the cost of being different has me exhausted.
This should be easy. It's a seat. It's being paid for. One person is using them.
Oh.
My.
I get the urge, really get the urge, to say, 'to hell with it, it's not worth the effort.'
But it is.
I know that.
Excuse me while I go back to waiting.
Being disabled takes EXTRA work. For everything.
ReplyDeleteWe who have LESS energy have to spend MORE of it on trivia.
I hope you suggested to the airline that they are making it almost not worth it to do what you are responsibly trying to do - and that they'd better get their act together. Nicely, of course.
Alicia
I suppose if you try to buy them on line and fill in the same passenger for both seats, the computer rejects your entry...and off you go to the phone maze. that's a tiring place no matter what abilities and disabilities you have.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the process is any easier for the orchestra's bass player? Don't they always have to buy a seat for the huge-but-fragile instrument? I wonder if the airline makes it this tough ... or if the airline's system is set up to book "musical instrument" more easily than "second seat for large human"?
ReplyDeleteSorry. I was reduced to giggles imagining that they didn't understand that you'd want two seats side by side. You do, don't you? LOL I do have a wacky sense of humour sometimes. Seriously though, why should it be such a big deal to get two seats!? I don't understand that. Hope it all worked out! samm
ReplyDeleteYup, that's familiar. I also relate to Alicia's and Anonymous (17:02)comments. It takes a lot of energy (sigh) and it's so ridiculous so many times I can't help but either gape or giggle.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your 28:7:1 - ... 'I'd wondered why I was always so socially tired when I got home from being out.'... I had to think about it a bit. Maybe the normal people see an obvious non-threatening being in us so they are more comfortable talking to us. Or maybe it's the child thing. It's a big subject. Glad to know I'm not the only one who eperiences this. Thanks Dave.
Here's a story from a double bass player (who's also disabled) about her experiences flying with her instrument: http://www.metafilter.com/145656/How-about-those-airplane-seats#5871235
ReplyDelete(Short version: the airlines are bad; the fellow passengers are worse.)