You know, meeting 1 new person everyday can either be a great thing or … It can be a not so great thing. My new person today definitely fit the underwhelming mold of “not so great.” One of the most useful quotes that I’ve believed in on this journey called life is “it’s not always rainbows and butterflies,” hence the title of this post. That’s the story that I’ll share today (I wrote this yesterday on the way home via Metro, but didn’t post it until today, just FYI).
I was taking my usual commute on the way home (so many blog posts involve Metro nowadays, it seems) and taking one of the many elevators I use throughout the system to get to one of the many trains I take. As I approached the elevator, there were two women standing there with a large suitcase, each, as they waited for the elevator to come up to the platform, and deliver us to the lower platform.
At the same moment there was another man, also a wheelchair user, approaching the elevator. Once they glanced behind themselves, and saw us approaching, they graciously moved aside. After all, Metro does frequently encourage elevator users to allow seniors and people with disabilities to board prior to any other population.
So, seeing as my train was four minutes down the tracks, I decided to go ahead and board the elevator first, since they invited me to do so. I do my customary “hug into the corner”, parking my wheelchair at a 90• angle so that we could fit as many of us on the elevator as possible. The other, older gentleman with his wheelchair board the elevator second, and he immediately cuts a right turn as he enters the elevator. Had he continued straight, we would have at least been able to make an attempt at fitting the other two patrons. I look at the gentleman and say “sir, if you come up this way we could try and fit them on the elevator, too.”
He looks at me plainly.
“You really think I’m worried about them? I’m just trying to make sure that I get on. And it’s not like they would worry about me.”
I reply, pretty dryly …
“Well, obviously they did worry about us. They moved aside so we could board first…”
“Really, you think so?”
“I know so. I mean, based on their behavior…”
That was essentially the end of our conversation. Actually, I might have said something else but I really was more in my own head than anything else. I was shocked. As I write this blog post on my iPhone on the Metro, I’m still shocked. But, I guess I shouldn’t really be?
It surprises me that someone who was blatantly and obviously just cared for – the women cordially let us board first – didn’t see it. What kind of mindset do you have that you can’t see it when it is right in front of you? No, it’s not like they gave us a hug and a kiss or anything, it wasn’t some wildly overt form of caring, but still – what mindset must you have to be so insular and, in my opinion, selfish? :/
I’m not here to pass judgment on this man, but even though he was and is a stranger to me, I’m a bit disappointed. The new people I encounter on a daily basis are usually nicer, open to conversation, and atleast willing to make small talk.
Today…well, today was not one of those days. Like I said, it is not always rainbows and butterflies. I don’t think that using a wheelchair or having a disability gives any person the right to immediately be selfish or not be considerate of others. That’s what I felt this man was doing…and I can only hope that our mini-conversation will encourage him to maybe, hopefully, be a bit more considerate the next time he’s boarding an elevator. Hopefully.