Wheelchairs In Small Areas Can Get You Into Trouble

My wheelchairs are fantastic as they give me the freedom to be out and about. But it is not always easy because of poor access or small areas where it is difficult to manoeuvre without getting into embarrassing but also very fun situations. Or should I say funny for me at least if not for the person left with the mess I have left in my wake. Let me tell you about three such occasions. On the first …occasion I had left a clothing shop in a local shopping plaza only to find a woman running up to me and indicating for me to stop. When I turned and looked behind to my horror and also amusement I saw I had a long trail of women’s clothing which had somehow got caught on my wheelchair.  One way of shop lifting I suppose!

On the second occasion I was in a fashionable shop in Adelaide and I was going through the men’s clothing section. The racks were high and close together making it difficult for me to fit through. Being surrounded by high clothing racks or people for that matter is not the most pleasant experience when out and about but that might be a story for another day.  Just as I though I had managed to squeeze through between the racks and out into a clear space without getting caught on anything I heard a very loud crash. When I looked back I saw that one of the garments had caught on the wheelchair and the whole clothing rack had come crashing down behind me. The rails and upright pieces on the rack had separated as it hit the floor and there were items of men’s clothing strewn every where. At times like this you wish the floor would open and swallow you up but at the same time it touches my sense of humour and I wish the I could have captured it on video.. The shop assistant was very peasant telling  me not to worry and apologised for the the racks being so close together  making it difficult for someone in a wheelchair. As I slowly wheeled off apologising for making such a mess the assistant and a few shoppers who had come to help were clearing  up the wreckage. When I looked about there were my friends and other shoppers looking rather surprised and wondering what the commotion was all about. Red faced but laughing I told them what had happened

The third occasion when I snagged something on my wheelchair  happened just a few weeks ago when leaving a bistro following a luncheon with a group of family friends. The bistro was extremely crowded with diners and the tables and chairs very, very close together. There was very little space for any one let alone a person in a wheelchair.  I thought I did very well to manoeuvre myself up to the table when we arrived without damaging  anyone or anything. When we were leaving however I had even less space behind me as by then there was a woman sitting on a chair at table behind. She asked one of my friends  if she needed to move and I heard my friend, ‘We’ll see’, as I made a masterful turn to the right. Next thing I heard friend almost shout, ‘Helen stop!’. I had the woman on the chair coming with me as the leg of her chair was entwined on the back wheel of my wheelchair.
My friend said it looked so funny as I turned the wheelchair and the woman and her chair were slowly turning with me as though they were hitch on to the back of the wheelchair like a trailer. We laughed so much when we got outside after having apologised to a very surprised woman who was trying to get off the chair as I was moving off with her attached.

chair leg 1-2It would also have made a good video but as that opportunity was lost we took some photos at another venue the next time we were out to try and simulated what happened.

It is good to be able to laugh at things. In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul writes, “but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…”  The second is joy and the Lord wants us to be filled with laughter and joy.

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