We have had a lot of firsts in the last few years over here. I’m sure you can all understand that. Lots of experiences lived out very differently. Learning curves all across the map. Todays first was a totally different ballgame, but it feels worthy of remembering. It’s not a nice fluffy memory, but it is indeed laughable, and somewhat comical.
We loaded up our golf cart this morning and headed to the beach, as is customary for us. We passed a man on the bath who nodded and smiled at us politely. I heard him exclaim to the kids “Can’t you walk?!” They laughed, not thinking much of it. Brady and I kind of chuckled together, because clearly, he had no idea what he was saying. But it rolled off quickly and we were at the beach less than a minute later.
It takes us a minute or two to get our setup organized. While we were setting up chairs and such, this man made his appearance on the beach. And without any holdback, he commented aloud “Lazy bones.” I swore I misheard him until he repeated his thought. “Lazy people.”
As non-confrontationally as possible, I laughed and said “Did you say lazy people??” He confirmed that he had. I firmly but politely informed him that my husband is paralyzed, hence the golf cart.
A good moment for him to step back and maybe even apologize for speaking out of turn, wouldn’t you say? But no. He had one moments pause because he pointed to our family and said “Well are the rest of you paralyzed?”
😳
Again, firmly but politely, I told him there are VERY few perks to paraplegia, and we would enjoy ourselves and our drives down to the beach. He shrugged me off and got back to his own thing. But *shivers* I did not care for that interaction.
Aaaaanyway. Mind your Ps and Qs, friends. Wouldn’t want things to get super awkward for you when you call out a paralyzed man for not walking…