the wanderings of a wondering mind

 

So first of all, these wandering remarks are very general, not aimed at anyone in particular.  Merely the wonderings of my mind, thinking aloud about what causes an oppressed, minority population to see offers of help by the perceived superior folks differently than how those perceived superior folks see the same acts. 

But First, first, there is nothing wrong with being overly sensitive on any  given issue.  For example, when I'm crossing a busy street and an auto horn blaps, I jump straight up and land backward on the corner I just left.  And by the same token, when I am registering for a hotel room and the woman behind the counter says, "Sign your name starting here...and go to the right".  I know at that point my IQ is being confused with my lack of eye sight.  I say, "But I'm left handed".  That throws her into a real tizzy. 

One time I stood in line at a hotel counter while the clerk waited on every single person including several who came in behind me and just shoved past me as if I were a potted Palm.  Finally she said, "Were you waiting for someone?" 

"Yes," I said.  "You". 

"Me?" 

"Ma'am, I've been waiting to register for a room". 

"Are you with someone?" 

Hey, I was born in the Dark Ages, but I know when I'm being slammed.  "Ma'am, I am standing here alone.  Do you see someone standing here with me?  I'd like to have a room, please". 

"I'm very sorry, we don't have any rooms available on the ground level." 

That's when I asked for the manager. 

But moving on to elevators.  I just love how some very clever minded people figured out how to cover all us disabled folk with one elevator panel.  It has Braille beside the raised numbers.  But the panel is set low so those in wheel chairs, and midgets, can reach it.  This means that I must drop to my knees in order to find my floor.  But not to worry.  The panel is heat sensitive and even as I begin to check the panel I activate everything including the alarm and the local bar.  I have found that when entering an unoccupied elevator I might as well run my hands over the panel as if I were blessing it.  Then we stop at every floor and I just have to count until I get to mine.  

When I enter an elevator that is already occupied, I simply say, "Could someone please push floor number whatever?"  Someone always does.  They do that for the guy behind me, too.  And he can see. 

Sometimes they say, "What floor?"  And I am never offended.  But if I am the first one on and I'm standing in front of the panel and someone reaches past me, shouldering me out of the way and says, "Here, let me get that," I then run my hands over the entire panel and we go floor by floor.  I always hope that they wanted the 54th floor. 

 

Curious Carl