They had an amazing display of liquour bottles and I was looking at some of the fancier bottles. I may not drink but I can still look at the bottles and recognize some brilliant designs. I was browsing. Then, feeling watched I discovered that I was being watched. A couple, a few years younger than me, were paused with their cart looking at me disapprovingly.
I looked up at them and they weren't at all embarrassed to be caught out watching a random stranger in a public place. In fact they seemed relieved, now they could get their message to me. He pointed at the bottles while she wagged her finger at me. WAGGED HER FINGER. Like they had the power and the right to tell me that I should not be buying booze. Like they were fulfilling a public duty to keep cripples from intoxicating drink.
It made me want to wrap my lips around a big bottle of Knob Creek and take a swig.
I didn't but WTF.
I joined up with Joe and then went in search of peanuts. I wondered if they'd approve. All I could find was maple syrup flavoured peanuts, and if there are Canadian Nuts, they aren't maple flavoured.
The constant monitoring, the constant need of some non disabled people to staff our freedom is remarkable.
I went nutless into the car park, partly because they didn't have want I wanted, plain old salted ones, and partly because instead of doing anything at the finger wag I just turned and left. They probably felt that they had successful.
Part of me hopes they they drive away with maple nuts stuck to the roof of their mouths.
I mean, shit.
I would have wagged my finger right back at them. What a nerve they had.
ReplyDeleteor perhaps the stuff stuck to the roofs of the mouths is not maple nuts?
ReplyDeleteyou've disabused me of the stereotype that Canadians are all very polite and quick to apologize for any possible offense....
jerks come in all countries...
clairesmum
I get so angry about ablebodied people feeling that they have the right to police the behaviour of Disabled strangers.
ReplyDeleteWe're not 4 year olds, or dogs!
AAARGH!
ReplyDeleteYou should point at them and laugh your head off.
ReplyDeleteMaybe that would embarrass THEM enough so they'd leave.
After all, what they're doing is one meaning of laughable.