About a week ago, Brandy and I took a look at a house for sale that had a very appealing location. We’re passing on it because the house needs far too much work.
But during the showing, I was talking with the realtor and mentioned some of the challenges we would face in the house because we have a son in a wheelchair.
As soon as I said “our son is in a wheelchair”, he interrupted me to say, “Oh, I’m so sorry!”
This happens frequently, and I get it - people just don’t know how to react to that info. So I’m here to help. Here’s a quick guide towards an appropriate reaction:
- If “in a wheelchair” is said in the middle of a sentence and is said matter-of-factly, that means the speaker is cool with it and does not need your empathy. Don’t interrupt, and don’t evoke pity.
- If “in a wheelchair” is at the end of a sentence and is said with some emotion while being followed by a dramatic pause, go ahead with the sorry. The speaker is looking for it.
- If “in a wheelchair” is yelled while the speaker is pounding on your car window, it means you parked too close to the van accessible space and the driver can’t get the wheelchair ramp down and get his son out of the car because you park like an idiot. No sorry required, just move your ass.
That should cover most of the scenarios in which one would have to deal with a sudden revelation of disability. If you encounter any others and find yourself at a loss for an appropriate response, please feel free to consult me for further guidance.
Comments
I soooo agree with number three. I especially like the cars parked in the handicap spaces that do not have handicap license or hangtags. What you couldn’t walk a little extra so that the space can be used by someone who really needs it, sheesh. I would have been mad at the interruption regardless of the context. It is one of my biggest pet peeves. We used to go to the Waffle Shop on College. There was a hostess there that would always interrupt. And on top of it the “Is everything okay?” statement was said like a mother would say to a two year old. She even bent at the waist to get down to our “eye-level” to say it. Grrrrrrrr! I was a waitress at one point in my life, and I always waited for a break in the conversation to ask my questions. Above all else be polite and think about how you are impacting others.
I have to admit that we’re guilty of not having a handicap plate or placard. We did have a placard, but it disappeared over two years ago.
But the van is pretty clearly marked as having a wheelchair ramp. There’s a rather noticeable sticker on the passenger side sliding door window that warns people to park at least 8 feet away because of the ramp.
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