February 15, 2006
No sympathy
I was the Walgreens on Diversey and Broadway today buying some pepper spray for Christy. A late Valentine's present? Hardly - it seems being the pretty girl she is, all the street toughs she encounters in her job try to take her home or otherwise attempt things they shouldn't be attempting. I figure the stuff will be a good self defense weapon. On the other hand, I never thought I would write that I was "buying pepper spray for my girlfriend." Nice going!
Anyway, so I'm at the Walgreens, and the lady in front of me is in a wheelchair, and she has one of the employees getting stuff for her because she can't reach the stuff or use her arms. I thought, aww, how sweet, they're helping her out. But then she turned into a nut!
There's about ten people in line BEHIND me, with this lady in the wheelchair in front of me. She has the woman scanning her stuff, while the only other person working the cash register is getting her things. Once again, I did not find this arrangement unacceptable. But then, as things are winding down, she has the woman go fetch her some Starbucks' frozen frappacino things out of the cooler. But they don't have the caramel, which is the one she wants. So she has the woman read off all the different flavors they have, before she decides on some chocolate ones or something. All this was done while she was staring at the wall, because she couldn't turn around to see the cooler.
Finally, after she gets her frappacinos, all her stuff is bagged up. Then she makes them re-bag it, because she doesn't want to get all the candy "squished up"! I mean, come on!
Part of me said to myself that I shouldn't get angry at a wheelchairbound woman, that I should thank my lucky stars I can get my own groceries (or pepper spray), and I tried my best to not get agitated. But I also firmly believe that even if you're disabled or incapacitated, that doesn't give you the right to be inconsiderate. And personally, I thought it was inconsiderate that she was holding up the line because she couldn't decide what frappucino to get and because she didn't want her candy squished.
I guess my question to you is, when does one cross the border from coping with your disability to milking favors from it? Is there a difference between having someone get your groceries for you and that same person reading you all the frappucino flavors? Or do you think I am an insensitive bastard?
Posted by oz115 at February 15, 2006 04:27 PM
Comments
well, first of all, thank you for the pepper spray. hopefully ill never need the stuff. you are too good to me. And I promise never to use it on you.
Secondly, I think the woman totally took advantage. It's one thing for her to require and be given extra help. But its quite another to hold up an entire line to chose a flavor of coffee.
Unless im mistaken, she could have done what the rest of us would have had to do... pay for the items she had at the moment. Get out of line, wheel/walk over to the cooler contianing the starbucks, and grab it herself.
Or, check out the variety of flavors, and decide what she wanted and either wait for a customer or employee to come by and help her grab it, or wheel back to line, tell the checker she wanted flavor ABC but cant reach and have the checker run over, grab the flavor really fast and ring it up.
OR, the woman could have her shopping list all written out. She could ask a store employee with no other business to tend to to please help her go through the store to grab each item on the list. At least with a list she won't be holing up business or other people by heming and hawing over flavors and such.
Or she can hire someone to take her shopping... which to be honest, is really what she should be doing in this situation. It isnt right nor is it fair to assume that just cuz you are in a wheelchair, or are blind or have a broken leg that people need to put their lives on hold for you. It's NICE and KIND to help out our fellow man. But unfortunately, sometimes you need to take matters into your own hands. And since you can't always depend on the fact that no matter where you go you will find someone that is able to assist you, then you need to hire someone or make the proper arrangements to live the life you desire.
It seems foolish and selfish to hold everyone up and use a handicap as an excuse.
It's like that pregnant woman parking... to me, its a total joke. You mean to tell me a woman is healthy enough to go to the mall and wander around all afternoon, and lug heavy bags of shoes (or whatever she's buying) but not healthy enough to walk from the 10th parking spot to the door of the mall? BS! Plus, pregnant women are supposed to get a bunch of exercise. Additionally, there was no pregnant woman parking when our moms had us. In most countries in the world women crouch under a tree and give birth into a muddy patch of earth. Here in the USA thou, women NEED pregnant woman parking? Here in the USA women NEED suite hospital rooms to give birth in? Are you serious right now?! Don't even get me started. I just wish people would be more responsible for themselves
Posted by: christy your love at February 15, 2006 11:55 PM