The Man in the Wheelchair

As the hockey world is glued to the playoffs, the company I worked for held a public viewing for those who wanted to watch their home team play.

We set up the event like a giant living room, some chairs and some sofas for people who won tickets through contests.

We often get people with disabilities attend our event because the nature of our company is inclusive and accessible. We have a policy to accommodate anyone with special needs and even if we didn't, the people at this company would do it anyway. I have seen managers give up their open parking spots for people who needed it.

I watched a man in a manual wheelchair, wheel his way to the front of the room, just behind the sofas. A few minutes later, he transferred himself from the chair to the sofa. No easy task when his legs weren't working.

Our event manager very reluctantly asked him if he had a VIP pass. He responded no. She said that he could sit there, unless a VIP came in, in which case he would have to move. He said he didn't know and would move anyway. Once our manager realized the sofa would remain unoccupied, she begged him to go back.

She came back to where I, and another co-worker, were watching to make sure the man was ok.

My co-worker commented on how some disabled people take advantage of situations and feel like they should not have to play by the same rules as everyone else, even in situations where they are capable. The manger was mortified, but didn't say anything. I said, "This man has a pretty tough life as it is, maybe you can give him a break."

It's not what I wanted to say, I wanted to scream. I wanted to shake her into compassion and reason. I wanted to tell her that her generation was far to unaware of the responsibility we have to each other in a society and that people who can help, should. I wanted to tell her people with disabilities are entitled to some modified rules.

But I didn't.

I couldn't.

Because I know this girl has compassion and a big heart. I know this because she knows that I have FSH and she researched it when she found out. She refuses to let me carry anything, strain myself and always gives up her seat for me whether I need it or not. She walks me up and down the stairs when we have a fire drill and has defended me with unequivocal conviction if anyone ever implied I was doing less than my share at work.

So where was this coming from?

I know there are some people who do take advantage of a disability or the fact they are elderly. There is a sense of unrestricted entitlement from them that frustrates people. I think it comes from their own frustration being someone with special needs feel. They hate asking for special treatment and don't like to feel different.

For me personally, I suffer walking the extra steps in the parking lot because I don't want to get a disabled decal for my car. I don't like to take special seating even though it would keep me from experiencing pain later. I don't even like to get on to a plane before the others because I feel like people with think I am taking advantage of an illness that doesn't make me look disabled.

For the most part, people are pretty legitimate when the ask for special treatment. I believe it is better to err on the side of believing them rather than questioning them and making them defend themselves.

The man ended up leaving after the first period. Not sure if he was embarrassed or frustrated since his team was losing.... badly.