Thursday, April 23, 2009

Indignant

Today, after work, I was filling up my scooter tires by my car. I was talking with one of the guests (for some of you, clients). A man walked up to us, looked at me, then said to him, "Can I pray for healing for her sickness?" The guest was flabergasted. I retorted pretty strongly, "I am NOT sick". He stood there, looking at me. Then spoke to him again, "Can I pray for healing for her sickness?" I again retorted "I am NOT sick!" I stared the man down and he left without a word. Based on the conversation I had with the guest after, I'm guessing the other man was staring him down too, with anger in his eyes. Maybe that's why he walked away and not because of my staring him down. Because apparently, I wasn't enough of a person for him to speak to me directly.

The guest then shared with me about his brother who uses a wheelchair and requires a lot of assistance. He emphasized how smart his brother was - he has two degrees including a masters. He said he didn't know what to say but that he was SO mad at the guy. He talked about the frustration he experiences when he goes out with his brother and store clerks, cashiers, or people in restaurants talk to him instead of the brother. How people don't even see his brother as a person. I told him the same thing happens to me whenever I am with someone else. Maybe we'll have another conversation sometime where he can learn some ways to handle situations like this when he is with his brother ... not so sure I was the best role model. He definitely respects his brother a lot.

Back to the man, the stranger. The self righteous 'christian'. The man who couldn't even speak directly to me. Who, essentially, spoke right over me, ignoring me other than staring. I have no idea why he was at work. I could well have been a friend filling up the tires on the scooter for someone else. Or, hey, an OT preparing some equipment for someone. I was sitting, so he didn't see me walking. Why would he even assume I have a disability? And, what would make him assume I am sick? Apparently, a disability means I have a "sickness"! Seriously!!! I hope nobody reading this equates having a disability with "sickness". Maybe the good thing is he wouldn't have thought I was staff. At least he couldn't go in and tell a staff member that a staff put him in his place. Although, to be honest, I doubt it phased him. And he'll continue to do the same the next time he sees someone with a disability.

2 comments:

Nanda said...

There is a common misconception that says that you have to be on the higher position in order to help other people that are beneath you. Whenever they gaze upon these "lowly" beings and help them, they feel a wave of euphoria for having provided for the less fortunate. And they'd even bend realities to experience that feeling again.

You gave him a chance to revert to reality (that you are not sick), but he prefers his ignorant stance of deluded superiority. He could have prayed for the good of all humanity, but he severely cut his prayer targets due to his mentality. It was a sad day.

Kathy said...

I am aghast at how insensitive, rude and presumptous this person was.

Some people should never open their mouths.