lol thats great and the answer was short sweet and to the point lol thanks for smile

Way to go, Marion! Sometimes, you just have to let it out!

I've had people stare at me, until I bring Montana my service dog out of the back of the car. He's like the best advertisement of my disability. Then, DH drags out my rollator from the trunk, and I'm set.

We did have a very rude cashier last week. It still makes me furious when I think about her. My husband had major surgery three weeks ago. As we walked up to the check-out, DH asked the cashier if she could get someone to unload the cart for us, as he had just had surgery. She looked at him and said "well, you were able to load the cart, why can't you unload it?"

I was shocked. I unloaded the cart, muttering under my breath. Then, when we were finished, I walked up to her and said "Would it have killed you to get someone to help us?" She said something about thinking about that after she said what she did, but she never apologized or anything.

I told her that I hoped she acted nicer when someone else asked her for help.

I saw a 20-something guy riding an electric shopping cart in he store one day. Made me wonder, but I didn't say anything though, you never know. But another woman asked him "Do you really need that? There's a lot of people who do, if you don't." She eyed me, hobbling along with my cane. (which I don't use often, but needed that day.)

The young man said he was tired, his knees hurt from playing basketball.



The woman asked if he was a bit ashamed of himself, but he said no, and zipped away. She said something about it to me, like why didn't I confront him, maybe I could use that cart more than him.

I told her, "I didn't ask if he needed it because you can't tell by looking what's wrong with someone - you can't tell with me, unless I have my stick, here. And I am not using one of those things until I have no choice."

I think it's bad juju, you know? Like asking for trouble. Very superstitious about that.

I once had some teens yelling at me for parking in the handicap places... I had just put my wheel chair in the back seat and was sliding toward the front of the car when they started in on me...

I just looked at them and asked if they wanted to use my wheel chair that they didn't see me put in the car.

I also told them they couldn't handle walking with my legs for 5 minutes.... so they shouldn't judge someone just by looking at them for a few seconds.

I don't always use my chair... if I can park close enough I can usually make it into the store to use an electric cart... It usually takes me 10 minutes to walk the 30 feet or so....

Some people will never understand....

Abbie

I always felt a little guilty, using HDCP, when I was only using a cane and sometimes didn't.....but, when I came out of the store (whipped), I would tip a carryout person to go fetch my car and put the groceries into it. I'd tip him/her, slide in and leave.

Most able bodied youngsters suspect everyone of cheating. They're just jealous you beat them to it...LOL and the oldsters should know better.

I am not usually an abrupt person, and it isn’t like I considered my options for a response. Seriously, it just popped out, and there was a broad smile on my face when it did! I wasn’t in a bad mood, and I wasn’t really annoyed at his question. It just seemed that he deserved an answer, though he did not deserve an explanation. As it turns out, it was probably the quickest way to get him getting out of my face.

I'm proud of you,Marion. Yeah, you could have went into some long dissertation about MS,what it is. etc. But would someone like him really listen and learn anything from it? Probably not! Honestly, he deserved what he got and IMO wasn't worthy of you wasting your energy on a more lengthy, educational response.

I love what you said! I never ever question anyone using the handicap spots. Even when they don't look handicap because they may look good getting out of the car but doesn't mean by the time they come out they wont be having a hard time. I think this comes from so many people giving Jim a hard time when he was 22 and on a cane. He didn't "look" like he was having a hard time even though he used a cane. But I will promise you by the time he came out to get back in the car it would be all he could do to get there. If I remember correctly he could walk about 100 steps before his legs started shaking.

I may have to use your comment someday when I am being stared at getting out of our van to come around and meet Jim. Sometimes he takes a minute to open the side door and oh the looks coming from those around me are priceless. It's not a mean look, but one of questioning. Gotta love a small town! lol

Marion, quit beating yourself up. It didn't hurt him or you! And it gave us a laugh!

And I think this conversation is a very valid one for all of us.

I have only had one person question me, he got out of his car as I was pulling out of a blue spot and he shook his head. I don't owe anyone an explanation, except to authority. But I honked the horn and waved my blue tag. He then smiled and waved.

I DO think people who believe someone is illegally parked SHOULD call the local police, but I don't think it is THEIR right to question the person parked in it, especially IF their tag or license plate says they are allowed access. You know in this day and time, you really don't know if you are talking to an armed psycho or not!

I certainly don't believe in stooping to someone else's mental deficiencies, sarcasm usually breeds anger. I don't want to promote that. But sometimes we do say things without thinking. We are all but human. I don't want to harbor anger in myself about my illness. And I'm not going to allow someone else's stupidity to bring out anger. (Note, I'm no angel! I have said stupid things on more than one occasion)

For those of you who feel guilty using a blue spot, just because to someone else's eyes you might look "normal", you need to QUIT worrying about what others think. We see in others what we want to see, so quit looking at them. My goodness, blue taggers come in all shapes, sizes, various walking paraphernalia, various other devices needed for medical reasons. Some of us need the spot on coming OUT of the store, and not to enter it. Change your thought processes and quit judging others and yourself so harshly!

Great topic!

I get upset at DH when he takes advantage of my handicap tag to get a closer space for the sake of the car!!!!!!! Soemtimes handicaps spaces are further away from the door than others. McDonalds is really bad like that. But since the spaces are bigger my DH likes to use them. It's still winter so I don't really need them so I make him in charge of the placcard if he uses a space just cause of the car. I could have parked much closer to the building if I took a regular space. Now shopping, I like the handicap space cause I never know what I'm going to feel like when I'm done. But a restruant, it usually doesn't matter to me.