Sally's World

You will not believe what happened to us the other day...actually...sadly, you probably will. We were not allowed in a shop because Deion may have broken something while in his wheelchair...apparently, kids in electric chairs are NOT ALLOWED. Pushable ones, and buggies are okay, but electric chairs are too much of a risk in the breakable goods department.

Okay,I'll tell you what I wanted to break, and it wasn't anything they were selling in the shop!!!

"So let me get this straight?" I asked in something just below roar level! "Disabled people are not allowed in your store."

"Oh yes, of course they are," said 'thick as shit' store assistant, "just not kids in electric chairs!"

Well,I don't need to go on about the small argument that ensued, and there's certainly no need to repeat any of the threats made (who me?)...

But the manager was called, we were assured that it IS NOT store policy to keep out electric chairs, and the 'thick as shit' assistant got it wrong. Apologies were made, I resisted the urge to tell Deion to drive around at top speed like demolition derby and break everything he could (very understanding of us I think!)

And I know what will happen next, we'll get a letter of apology from head office and some store vouchers, I know this, because it happened once before in another store. I don't want the bloody store vouchers, I want to be able to go shopping with my son and not be turned away because he's in a wheelchair...simple...you'd think! The vouchers will be rolled up and returned with a suggestion of where they should put them!

Okay, I know we are moving ahead, and things are improving...but come on...can we get there a bit quicker please, people are being treated like second/third class citizens here! GGRRRRR!

Giving Up Wine

I was walking down the street when I was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless woman who asked me for a couple of dollars for dinner.

I took out my wallet, got out ten dollars and asked, 'If I give you this money, will you buy wine with it instead of dinner?'

'No, I had to stop drinking years ago' the homeless woman told me.

'Will you use it to go shopping instead of buying food?' I asked.

'No, I don't waste time shopping,' the homeless woman said. 'I need to spend all my time trying to stay alive.'

'Will you spend this on a beauty salon instead of food?' I asked.

'Are you NUTS!' replied the homeless woman. I haven't had my hair done in 20 years!'

'Well, I said, 'I'm not going to give you the money. Instead, I'm going to take you out for dinner with my husband and me tonight.'

The homeless Woman was shocked. 'Won't your husband be furious with you for doing that? I know I'm dirty, and I probably smell pretty disgusting.

'I said, 'That's okay. It's important for him to see what a woman looks like after she has given up shopping, hair appointments, and wine.'

I went to sainsburys supermarket today and did my shopping, on the way back to the car the elevator broke down.

Me and another lady were in there, my first thought was 'god I hope she doesn't panic in small spaces,' my second was, 'will I have time to eat the chocolate cake?'

The other lady pressed the button twice...no reply...pressed it a third time..

A crackly voice says "hello can I help you."

"We're stuck in the lift," said the lady.

Pause.

"HELLOOOO," that was both of us..

"Okay, stay where you are, we'll send someone."

Good grief, where the hell did he thing we were going to go??? Where do they find these people???

Proof of what can happen if a wife or girlfriend drags her husband or boyfriend along shopping. I don't think I'll risk it for a while, I'm sure Dave will be thrilled, but I can't chance it, I just know this list has given him lots of ideas!!!

This letter is real and was actually sent by Tesco's Head Office to a customer in Oxford:

Dear Mrs. Murray,

Whilst we would like to thank you for your valued custom and use of the Tesco Loyalty Card, the Manager of our store in Banbury is considering banning you and your family from shopping with us, unless your husband stops his antics.

Below is a list of his actions over the past few months all verified by our surveillance cameras:

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people's trolleys when they weren't looking.

2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to feminine products aisle.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official tone, 'Code 3' in housewares..... and watched what happened.

5. August 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.

6. September 15: Set up a tent in the outdoor clothing department and told shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring sausages and a Calor gas stove.

7. September 23: When the Deputy Manager asked if she could help him,he began to cry and asked, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?'

8. October 4: Looked right into the security camera; used it as a mirror, picked his nose, and ate it.

9. October 10: While appearing to be choosing kitchen knives in the Housewares aisle asked an assistant if he knew where the antidepressants were.

10. November 3: Darted around the store suspiciously, loudly humming the Mission Impossible' theme.

11.November 6: In the kitchenware aisle, practised the 'Madonna look' using different size funnels.

12. November 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed, yelled 'PICK ME!' 'PICK ME!'

13. November 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, assumed the foetal position and screamed 'NO! NO! It's those voices again.'

And; last, but not least:

14. November 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited a while; then yelled, very loudly, 'There is no toilet paper in here.'

I am just writing this blog, because I was touched today by someone’s simple act of kindness.

The day didn’t start off great; Deion had a couple of hospital appointments; we had our usual two hour wait for the first and our usual tussle over results at the second, I left knowing nothing more than I did before we went.

Then as we had an hour to spare between the hospital appointments and Deion’s Physio therapist appointment, I took Deion shopping so he could spend his birthday money.

We inevitably ended up in the game shop, because somehow he ended up with about seventy thousand pounds worth of game card vouchers (slight exaggeration!) for his birthday.

I then got his feet measured and had to hand over roughly the equivalent of our monthly shopping budget for a pair of trainers just because they were a particular brand and colour…great.

We then gave up in pound land, as the isles are too small for his wheelchair to get around, of course we had the requisite number of doors slammed in our face, the usual amount of people moaning about Deion getting in the way and of course I had expended an extraordinary amount of energy in NOT thumping at least twenty people for being so bloody rude!

So I just didn’t have the energy to argue when he asked for a MacDonald’s for lunch. He couldn’t believe his luck when I didn’t lecture him about trans fats and nitrates (yep, I’m that sad), but instead just held the door open for him to go on in.

While we were trying to fight our way through the crowds of schoolchildren (that surely should have been in school anyway) Deion got walked into, banged and scowled at about ten times. The usual really… people just don’t see him, they are only looking at eye level I guess!

Then a lady who worked there told us to go and sit down and she would get our food for us to save us queuing. This was new to me, and not something that is normal practice in MacDonald’s I believe. But we followed her to a table, she wiped it down, asked Deion what he wanted, and then went off to get his happy meal. She came back literally a few moments later, gave us the food and handed me my change.

Deion and I, dumb struck, thanked her profusely.

She told us it was her pleasure, she has a daughter in a wheelchair and knows how hard it is, but it was so refreshing, because she actually spoke to Deion instead of over him, instantly knowing the wheelchair didn’t make him stupid. She was lovely and it made a huge difference to what is normally a nightmare of pushing and shoving and ‘excuse mes’ into something quite relaxing.

I’m sure to her it was nothing more than a small act of kindness, but to us it was beyond nice, and she made Deion feel really special.

“Wasn’t she a lovely lady mum,” Deion said as we left.
“Yes she was,” I said.
“I wish more people were like her don’t you mum?”

Yes I do!

Take care

Sal & Deion xxxx