Leaving Treadmarkz Across the Universe

by Treadmarkz

I think I can speak for most people in wheelchairs by saying that it is a bit bothersome when, in a social situation, when you are trying to have an intelligent exchange with other adults, and a kid comes up and asks “Can you pop a wheelie?” But sometimes you’ve just gotta play the game, so you do it. The kid thinks you are the coolest thing since freezer burn. It makes the kid happy. You gain a desciple. No big deal.

But then they want to push you. And when they do, they sometimes insist on making vroom-VROOM! noises. It’s worse when it is an adult instead of a kid.

I am NOT a toy.

I am speaking for myself now. The only time, for me, that it is acceptable for someone to come and push me around is when it is a baby. A baby who hasn’t even learned how to talk yet – doesn’t know anything about the world except “I cry, I get food” or “I cry, I get my diaper changed.” All they have to work with is empirical knowledge, and they don’t know what you are and they are curious. I don’t intend to get wishy-washy here, but there is nothing more beautiful than the curiosity of a baby.
So if a baby wants to come up to my chair, grab a fistful of foot-rest, lick the tires, whatever, it’s cool. They are learning. They’ll learn a lot, depending on what I just rolled through before they lick the tires! (Just kidding, parents, I am careful about that kind of stuff).

It is different though, when the kid gets to be a certain age, when they can understand perfectly well when I, or their parents, ask them not to push me (hopefully their parents will know enough to intercede.)

Let me be perfectly clear on something though. As I have said before, questions are fine! Again I am just speaking for myself here, but to anyone in a wheelchair who might get offended or frustrated at a child’s questions, let me remind you that they are learning from this!

But please. No more vroom-VROOM!

(I am very interested to hear from anyone in a wheelchair who agrees or disagrees with any part of this, or from anyone who is not in a chair who is curious about why I feel this way)