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Sunday, March 1, 2009

Rolling Through Short Hills

The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions.

And Whole Foods in West Orange

"What a nice smile," an older woman said to me in a surprised tone as she walked by me in the card shop this afternoon.

"Thanks," I said softly.

No stranger had ever before commented aloud on my smile. My wheelchair made her feel free, perhaps.

How novel to be at eye-level with the women's shoes on display at Nordstrom, and not to be able to reach a high shelf at the grocery store. Pat and I went shopping, but since my foot still hurt too much to walk long distances, Pat rolled me around in a wheelchair all afternoon.

It felt like an assignment for a Sociology class: See what it feels like to be perceived as wheelchair-bound for an afternoon. I felt out of control, short, weak, frightening -- the woman in line ahead of us at the grocery store moved away, saying unnecessarily, "Oh, sorry," when she noticed me sitting behind her on line.

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