19 March 2007

Sometimes I wonder how walkies survive without wheelchairs.

I think today I may actually have died of embarrassment if I were not a wheelchair user.

I was in the supermarket. I stood up for a second to reach some cat food off a high shelf. As I sat back down in my chair I heard a tear, and suddenly became aware that my left buttock was colder than my right.

My trousers had ripped down the arse, just to the left of centre. And of course, I was wearing the most hideous pants I own underneath.

My immediate thought was one of relief. Relief that I am a wheelchair user, and could keep my exposed buttock hidden by sitting on it.

This got me thinking about how if I was even more crippled, I'd have been even better off; for if I had been unable to stand to reach that cat food then my trousers wouldn't have ripped as I sat back down. OK, I'd have had to sit there until someone walked past so I could ask them to pass the food. But that's a small price to pay for a warm bum on a snowy day like today.

Some people think that becoming a wheelchair user would be the most embarrassing thing in the world... Ever! Look at all those weirdo's who'd rather be housebound and fully dependent on others just because "Ew! I don't wanna use a wheelchair. I don't wanna look disabled. Gross!"

I would like to run up behind all those people with a knife and slash the back of their trousers to expose their crap pants. Once half of north London has seen their arse, I'd like to ask them then if they still think using a wheelchair would be more embarrassing.

9 comments:

  1. *giggle* What a fantastic sentiment. There are a lot of people I want to send over here to read this post.

    Sorry about your trousers, though. :D

    ReplyDelete
  2. They were my favourite trousers too! Now I've gotten over the potential embarrassment, I'm feeling sad about the passing of my bestest trousers ever.

    Feel free to send people this way. By me saying it in my words you can blame me for being an opinionated cow and not get in trouble yourself.

    And I always like visitors in this corner of the web. I wonder if I could offer virtual tea and biscuits?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Excellent -- thankfully I've never had trousers split yet but now I look forward to it!

    How does the DDA apply to high shelves, as you mention it?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous2:43 pm

    *chortle*

    The idea of "wheelchair-as-modesty-protection" had never really occurred to me before :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a great post! Sorry about your trousers! My nephew spilled a juicebox on himself in the car the other day and told me that he was glad he was getting into his wheelchair when he got to the store. I can not get out of my wheelchair to get things off shelves and would like to point out that it's an excellent way to start a conversation with someone you'd like to meet. virtual refreshments - great idea....

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous9:47 pm

    LOL! Sorry, but that was too funny! You have a point though. I'd rather be the wheelchair user I am than go out with my butt hanging out!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous5:05 pm

    a warped sense of humor is a good thing, and there were times being in a wheelchair would have come in handy.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a great post!

    I bet people who can walk have never considered the advantage of having a wheelchair in such an occasion :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I have found the very best elevating wheelchairs ever made. You can change your own light bulb, reach stuff from top shelf, have conversations eye to eye... These chairs give you more freedom and less dependability from others and so much more. To see what I am talking about just check out my web site and see them for yourself. I know that you will agree with me that these are The Best wheelchairs ever... www.geocities.com/christinesclosetdeals/Elevatingwheelchairs.html

    ReplyDelete