#1 Parking

Close parking is a well known benefit of being disabled. I remember what a luxury it was to have a reserved, close parking spot at work when I had surgery on my right knee. I hung the temporary handicap placard from my rear view mirror, thinking how lucky I was to not be out there hunting for a parking spot!

Today, I look with skepticism at those parked in handicapped parking when there are no spaces left for my primadonna self in her wheelchair. Are they really disabled? Looks like they are walking just fine to me! Thoughts surface of the scene from the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes, when the main character, Evelyn Couch, is cut off from her intended parking space by two giggling teenage girls in their car.

Evelyn cries "Towanda" and uses her car as a battering ram as she declares, "I'm older than you and I have more insurance", and continues to crash into the teen's car as the girl and her giggling friend turn around in absolute horror to see what has happened. Where does all of that emotion and anger come from?

In Evelyn's case, her friend, Izzy Threadgood, asks her ,"How many of those hormone pills are you taking?" as Evelyn tells her the story of what she did. In my case, I'm judging another's disability through my tetraplegic, righteously indignant viewpoint and expressing a bit of anger at the comparative and obviously observable price I have paid for the "privilege" of special parking. I catch the thought I'm having as "this is one h***ava price to pay for that blue placard!!!"

So, in a nutshell, without a choice in the matter, I am "in it for the parking"!!! Wanna trade places? Have I got a parking spot for you!!!