Never get on a bus if you limp!

I do not walk very well. When I do make the attempt I always have my handy forearm crutch in tow. I can maybe go 25 feet without coming to a complete and exhausted stop. I drag my left foot something awful and both my feet are numb. I do all of this attempting best if I am barefoot. When I have to wear shoes my feet generally spill out due to swelling.

Anyhoo, my husband and I went on a church field trip with 37 other like minded seniors. The leader, a wonderful lady with infinite patience, hired a very nice fellow and his bus to drive us to our destination. Ah, one small but definitive problem, the bus was not equipped to handle the handicapped. I had to leave my wheelchair at the door and climb up several( five) steps and then make my way to a seat. This is fortitude in action, particularly when we stopped and I had to reverse and climb down five stair to the pavement. A couple of well meaning folks offered to help. I had to explain that it was easier to do it on my own even with my husband twittering in the background about letting him help! I am extremely glad I have good upper body strength because it sure came in handy with the aid of my trusty forearm crutch.

Please, pray tell, why in the world do folks insist on running any sort of public transportation with out handicapped amenities? Now, this bus was very clean and the driver very courteous but, I will never get on a bus again unless I know I can get on without ending up at the end of the trip totally exhausted from scampering up and down those dratted stairs. Of course, I should have asked the leader of this excursion before the fact about the availability of handicapped amenities on the bus. Mea Culpa.