Hopping back home on the crutches from the Espy, my local bar, having had a non alcoholic lunch with a pal. A fat chocolate labrador bounds up to us. My friend is afraid of dogs. And while I'm on crutches, I am too. The owners, a couple, call it but don't put in on the lead. They walk past, with no apology. Stupidly I say something to them about keeping it on a lead. Met with astonishing aggression by the man: 'just because you are on crutches doesn't mean that every dog has to be legislated' - wow! Who rattled his cage? I reply along the lines of legislation not being necessary - just that the dog is scary given my current circumstances. He mutters - and walks into the first house on our street. So I know where he lives. Seems like he is one my friendly neighbours. Guess he treats the dog with more respect than the local mobility impaired folk... And after my experience down Portobello High Street today, this is not surprising.
This morning a friend took me to our local library to get some gardening books. Given the distance, we had to take the wheelchair. We soon discovered, as expected, that this wasn't as easy as it seems. In my own street there is no dropped curb. Both I and my friend are nervous of the wheelchair. So I crossed the first road on my crutches, with the intention of joining the wheelchair on the other side. I was then caught by a cross wind blowing straight up the street. Suddenly terrified and leaning into the building (ironically - the neighbours of the friendly dog man). Managed to get across with my friend walking wind side. Then off up the street in the wheelchair. A woman with a child on a scooter met us head on - they move to the side furthest from the road. But we are nervous - ask her to take the other side. She does, without smiling or acknowledging us.
The next crossing has a lowish curb - we tackle it successfully. The third one doesn't. Out of the wheelchair again. This is ridiculous. We make it to the library. Someone has left a bike on the ramp to the entrance. My friend moves it. Finally we are in. Park the wheelchair and onto the crutches - but I cant get through the security barrier into the library - and nobody helps me. I struggle through eventually.
On the way back my only new impediments are meeting friends in the street - we stop to chat - but it is freezing. We flee back down the road, and I'm almost tipped out when what looks like a dropped curb isnt as smooth as expected. My friend is more frightened than myself - I am now resigned to whatever occurs. Off the wheelchair at the end of the road and hop to my door, and then all the way up the stairs. We are both freezing.
My first adventure to the high street has been enlightening. There is no way I could do this on my own - there are not enough dropped curbs - and a minority of the local community cannot be depended on to keep me safe. Without my precious friends and neighbours I would be completely isolated. The moral of this story? Ensure you have your own generous community - nurture it and treat it well. And the pavements? Over to my three local councillors...
This morning a friend took me to our local library to get some gardening books. Given the distance, we had to take the wheelchair. We soon discovered, as expected, that this wasn't as easy as it seems. In my own street there is no dropped curb. Both I and my friend are nervous of the wheelchair. So I crossed the first road on my crutches, with the intention of joining the wheelchair on the other side. I was then caught by a cross wind blowing straight up the street. Suddenly terrified and leaning into the building (ironically - the neighbours of the friendly dog man). Managed to get across with my friend walking wind side. Then off up the street in the wheelchair. A woman with a child on a scooter met us head on - they move to the side furthest from the road. But we are nervous - ask her to take the other side. She does, without smiling or acknowledging us.
The next crossing has a lowish curb - we tackle it successfully. The third one doesn't. Out of the wheelchair again. This is ridiculous. We make it to the library. Someone has left a bike on the ramp to the entrance. My friend moves it. Finally we are in. Park the wheelchair and onto the crutches - but I cant get through the security barrier into the library - and nobody helps me. I struggle through eventually.
On the way back my only new impediments are meeting friends in the street - we stop to chat - but it is freezing. We flee back down the road, and I'm almost tipped out when what looks like a dropped curb isnt as smooth as expected. My friend is more frightened than myself - I am now resigned to whatever occurs. Off the wheelchair at the end of the road and hop to my door, and then all the way up the stairs. We are both freezing.
My first adventure to the high street has been enlightening. There is no way I could do this on my own - there are not enough dropped curbs - and a minority of the local community cannot be depended on to keep me safe. Without my precious friends and neighbours I would be completely isolated. The moral of this story? Ensure you have your own generous community - nurture it and treat it well. And the pavements? Over to my three local councillors...
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