Thursday, July 09, 2009

I Feel So ...

At my local movie multiplex, all the various theatres are wheelchair accessible. There are two very large halls, however, where you have to take a windy little hallway around the theatres and enter from the front rather than climb stairs and enter at the back. Both have accessible doors whereby you push a button and the door automatically swings open.

At theatre 8, where we usually go, the door opens and you enter and then have to make an immediate and hard turn left. Every time I go through it takes several back and forth adjustments in order for me to position the chair to easily turn. Going out is similarly difficult, it's just hard to manoeuvre through the door. It's all made more difficult by a door that stays open as if one is sailing through. It always closes on me before I've adjusted the chair and gone through.

Then, one day, Joe was going through the other of the two double doors and I just followed him through. No sharp turn, no trick driving, easy access. Ever since that's what we do.

There was nothing much on television tonight and I got some big news today (which I cannot share right yet) and was very hyper. We decided to slip out to see a movie to distract me from the 'buzz' of what happened (which I cannot share right now). We were just going to make the start of the film so once we'd bought a ticket and were headed in, Joe said he'd meet me in the theatre with the popcorn and drinks. This left me, for the first time, going alone with a theatre staff who walks me through the interior labyrinth to the theatre front.

When we got there I asked him to simply hold open the other door. He looked at me and blinked. I gave him a second to respond and instead of saying anything he just pointed to the disability button to open the door. I said, 'Yes, but I'd like to go through the other door ...' Before I could explain further he said, 'But wheelchair people are supposed to go through that door, not this door.' I said, 'Wheelchair people can go through whatever door they choose.'

He sputtered, I thought of explaining and decided not to. Really, do I have to explain why I wanted to go through that door? What if I just liked going through left doors rather than right doors? What if I like to match my doors to my politics - left please? Who cares why I wanted to go through the left door, who cares that I have a very good, very rational, very sound reason ...?

So I broke a rule today. I didn't go through the wheelchair people door. I went through the regular people door. I feel so scandalous, so rebellious, so, so, um, dirty.

7 comments:

  1. Can't wait to hear your news!

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  2. LOL, and stop teasing about your big news :)
    Lisa

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  3. Stay dirty Dave!!! Love it. lol

    Glee

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  4. You naughty, naughty boy!! How dare you sit in that chair, and assert that you should have choices in life. It's simply scandalous!! ;)

    And um...congrats? (Or whatever might be the appropriate thing to say in light of your secret good news.)

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  5. As you should!

    You know that you belonged to the other door. ;<)

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  6. Ah, kindred spirit - you go through whatever door you want to... OF COURSE you can go through that door - whether it makes it easier or not - just because you want to is right!

    I break stupid rules and norms all the time - just different ones. :)

    Like the "no cell phone in the hospital rule". When my physician brother-in-law (head of emerg. in a Vancouver hosp.) told me (10 years ago!) that the technology had progressed to the point that there is no longer any need for that rule (cell phone signals no longer interfere with sensitive medical equipment), and upon observing doctors using their own cell phones liberally while making rounds, I threw that stupid rule out the window. No-one has ever challenged me on it either... But if they did, I would just tell them it's a stupid rule and I'd keep on talking. Mind you, as always, I am careful not to be rude in using my phone in such a place and to talk quietly in a normal conversational tone... and as long as I am not disturbing others who are there to rest and recover, or who are working to help others to recover, then why not???

    If that makes us "dirty", so be it! I'll hold that door for you anytime, Dave. And I hope you will pass me my cell phone when I can't reach it from my hospital bed. :)

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