The more feeble I become, the more I've noticed that people try to help me. Gone are the days of young men darting into a Casey's door and pulling it shut behind them, lest I catch the handle before it completely closed. Well. I HOPE those days are gone. I wouldn't swear to it these days.
People see me hobbling along, and will wait a minute after they enter, holding the door open. Or if it's an outward door, they get to it and stand holding it, and enter after me. Of course I thank them! It's a nice gesture.
Sometimes, I'd like them to just go about their business. I feel obligated to "speed up," such as it is, so they don't have to wait for me to get there. If I could go faster, I would already be walking faster!
Anyhoo... the good Samaritans holding doors open and waiting on me are not really a problem. I feel good seeing their kindness, and they feel like they've done a good deed. Karma points for them!
The problem is when they want to help me on the way out, when they're behind me. Especially at the Gas Station Chicken Store. There's a little rough blacktop ramp at the door. Better than a step, but it would be hard for anybody to get a scooter or wheelchair up that ramp. Not that there's room inside for either, with the narrow aisles. Walking up that little ramp is okay for me. Coming out is more precarious.
I have my just-bought scratchers in my left hand, and push open the glass door with my right, holding onto the metal bar across it as I inch down that rough blacktop ramp. It's the height of 1.5 normal steps, and only the width of the doorway. The sides slope down steeper than the front part.
Fairly often, a person exiting just behind me will PUSH that door wide open, thinking they are HELPING me. But no! It wrenches the door handle away from me, upsetting my balance.
I consider myself quite lucky that kindness hasn't killed me yet.
I can see how holding that bar helps you, but younger people will not know until they get to that stage themselves. I'm glad they hold the doors for you to get into the store too.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
DeleteI would hope that any age person would know not to shove a door open farther when somebody is already holding onto it! They might hold it in place, thinking they were helping, and that I could let go, enabling them to push it further and go on out. Or if I just had my elbow or forearm holding it open, not gripping the handle.
It IS nice when they hold the door open, although I feel guilty for delaying them by walking so slowly.
Hmmm, even though I stopped coloring my hair and am definitely gray, people still walk on and let doors close behind them. Depending on my knee, I may or may not be limping along with HeWho has embraced being old and feeble.
ReplyDeleteKathy,
DeleteAt least they're not deliberately pulling the door closed in your face!