Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Mid Week Blues: Some People are Respect Handicapped


I was at the store the other day and watched a woman and her two daughters (I assume they were hers since they were as obnoxious as she was) cut off a van with a handicapped parking permit in order to get the clearly marked spot.

The elderly lady in the van looked as if she were about to cry. I pointed to my car a few spots down and told her she could take my spot, it was next to the cart return and there would be plenty of room to off load her husband's wheelchair.

As I returned from moving my car down she noticed my cane. I had to laugh at the expression on her face. It was part laugh, part horror and part divine wonder. She saw me laughing and she and her husband started to laugh too. She said I shouldn't have given up my spot. I said it was no big deal and asked if they wanted to help me key the car in the handicapped spot. The three of us were laughing out loud as we walked/limped/wheeled toward the store entrance just in time for a patrol car to enter the lot. The officer immediately noticed the wheelchair and asked if we needed help. We pointed to the offending car and watched in pure joy as he got out and began to write the ticket. When I told him how they had cut off the van he decided to wait for the driver.

As we entered the store we saw the terrible trio leaving and we watched the scene from the store window. I did color commentary LOL

The Mom was gesturing and acting indignant. I did see one of the daughters say she was sorry so there's a little bit of hope there.

The last thing the driver saw as she backed out of the spot she wasn't supposed to be in was the 3 of us - the man in the wheelchair smiling, his wife waving and me giving a salute with my cane.


MID WEEK BLUES

16 comments:

Annie Bear said...

This made my day! I love justice in these kinds of situations since it happens so rarely.

I really appreciate your kindness to the elderly couple.

bobbie said...

Hooray! You made my day too!

jaycoles@gmail.com said...

I am totally stealing this to put up at Bailey's I love you!

Jan said...

Yeah, for you. I just despise people who to this.

Cherie said...

Justice is sweet! :)

Rambling Woods said...

That drives me crazy and hubby gets upset when I take my cane and rant at people who take handicapped parking. I try not to use it as I think there are more disabled people than me...Good for you.. Hope it was a costly ticket....Michelle

Jim said...

Good for you, Dianne! I have confronted a few offenders but haven't been able to report one.
So far I haven't had a black eye since school. Striking a senior in Texas is a felony offense.

Happy MidWeek Blues! I am up, on Jim's Little Photo and Poem Place blog today.
http://jimmiehov6.blogspot.com/
Thursday I will copy it over to my regular blog.
..
and we both are signed in on last week's Mr. Linky. :-)
..

Suburban Girl said...

What a great story! From blue to joy! Yay, I love when an officer swings by at the perfect moment. I wish that would happen more often. It was very sweet of you to give up your spot too.

Your comment just cracked me up. Really! Sorry for the delay getting MWBs up, I had computer issues.

Dianne said...

lucy - I love a good justice story and was thrilled to have one to tell, thanks

bobbie - thanks :)

jay - I love you too

jan - it happens all too often, I never noticed how often until I started using the cane and started thinking about getting a permit for myself, then I noticed how many cars didn't have one

cherie - it sure is!!

rambling - I don't have a permit. I never considered getting one since I can walk and on a really bad day I just wait a bit for a close spot
the thing that really got me about this case was that there would be no way to get the wheelchair ramp down in any other spot, it's a small place and the spots are tight
that's just wrong!

jim - the officer was a sweet young man, he thought we might need help since the ramp to the store entrance is a bit steep
he made me laugh - he said he wished he could arrest them
I'm so glad I wasn't the only one who was date confused

rebecca - thank you for the kind comment :)
I thought I was early and then went to visit sacred ruminations and saw my comment from last week and got soooo confused LOL
then I realized I was a week off

Arkansas Patti said...

That is a frameable post. So often all we get to do is shake our heads and cast black looks at the offenders. Fantastic job. Thank you.

Daryl said...

You are my idol.

When Dad was using his walker we parked in a non-handicap space at the doctor's office because there were none available ... but as we were walking to the door, this couple came out, she was using a walker and he was walking alongside her with cane .. they called out to us and I was able to move the car so Dad didnt have to walk as far on the way out ...

There shouldnt ever have to be a worrisome time for anyone with a handicap .. I am loving that security guy!

Elizabeth said...

This is such a wonderful story!!!
LOVED IT LOVED IT.
Yes, this is one of my pet peeves.
Some people are just so selfish it astounds me.
Of course, I feel guilty at the GLEE I feel when they get told off - but we do like to put the world to rights.

My husband was on crutches for 2 years so we had some experience of people's loveliness and helpfulness......
and some people being AWFUL.
Takes all sorts.....

Now people on cell-phones driving cars.......!!!

magiceye said...

obnoxious is the right word. wonder why people are so full of themselves and blinded by everything around..
sad but true
glad justice was served in this case

Patti said...

I love this post Dianne! Good for you. Wish I could have heard your color commentary.

maryt/theteach said...

Dianne, I would have done the same thing! It's rare we get such satisfaction! Great story! :)

shelly said...

Best story of the year!!! Seriously...what are the odds? Loved that this happened to you because Handicapped cheaters make me crrazyyy and I never get to see them get caught - virtual catching via my pal Di is even better than I could hope for.