Saturday, October 31, 2015

The Line Up

Photo Description: An empty, three wheeled, airport luggage cart.
I was in the line up yesterday, at the airport, to check bags and get boarding passes. Joe was returning the rental car and  I had been waiting for him to get back. The line up was long and I decided that, given that it takes a bit of time to check in, wheelchair and all, I'd get in the line up and hope that Joe got back before I reached the front of the line.

The baggage cart was loaded down but I was easily able to push it, then me, it, then me, it, then me. I joined the end of the line and slowly, not more slowly than the movement of the line, moved up as space became available. There were people now joining the line behind me.

A conversation started between a mom and and dad and a young teen girl. Mom suggested to Dad that he help me with the cart. Dad said that he thought I was doing fine on my own. This let to a spat about generosity and willingness to help out. Mom thought I was struggling with the cart, Dad thought I was doing fine.

We reach the part of the line up where I have to turn the cart around to head back the way we came. I can do this, have done it many times. I grab the cart, make the turn, grab my wheels and turn in behind the cart.

The argument is getting just a wee bit louder. The teen daughter, who I can see easily now, in fact I can see the whole family because I am now facing the way they are coming, looks up from her devise and listens to her parents argument over my perceived need, and how they both saw it, and a response to that need as perceived - leave me do it on my own or go help.

Daughters eyes flit from her parents to me.

I smile at her.

She closes her eyes in utmost embarrassment.

"He can hear you, you know!" she said. Her parents stop, look at her, then over at me. "If he wanted help he'd ask you. Jeeeeeeez!"

Dad says to me, "Sorry, you good?"

I say, "I'm good."

"Jeeeeeeez!!" daughter shakes her head again.

I may have a disability but she's got parents - to a teenager, I think that might be the bigger issue.
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5 comments:

  1. Glee31 October 2015 at 08:26

    BAHAHAHA love it

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  2. Antonia Lederhos Chandler31 October 2015 at 11:19

    BWAH! Hahahahaha "I may have a disability but she's got parents" :-)

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  3. ABEhrhardt31 October 2015 at 11:45

    "He can hear you, you know."

    That's the critical part. I bet you don't discuss other people when you're out with Joe - because you know other people can hear you.

    Or if you do, it's a quick conversation about whether you need to do something.

    Extended conversations about other people where they can hear you are rude. Even when their intentions are somehow perceived by the conversers as 'good enough to justify my behavior.'

    But the image has me chuckling. That poor teen.

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  4. clairesmum31 October 2015 at 11:54

    Out of the mouths of babes.....great story!

    ReplyDelete
  5. B31 October 2015 at 23:44

    Oh, thanks so much for the good laugh!

    ReplyDelete

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