I don’t know if any one else gets called retarded every now and then, but I’m pretty sure I’ve been called that more than once. The most recent, and of course, now the most prominent was the last time I had to endure SeaTac. Landing in Seattle upon arrival should have been my first clue that I should have brought Graphite (my seeing-eye dog). I was supposed to wait on the plane for the flight attendant to come get me, but I didn’t and just headed to the back. The attendant that was supposed to come help me rushed from the front and found out that all she had to do was point to the exit for me. She was actually very nice and not condescending.
I made it down the stairs of the plane, probably to their amazement ("their" meaning the flight attendants and the helper waiting for me at the bottom.) And there also at the bottom was a wheelchair. For a split second I thought maybe we were waiting for someone else. But my heart sank a little when I remembered I was the last one on the frickin' plane. Just a reminder, I walked down the stairs on my own two (very functional) legs. Yet, the helper still asked if I needed the wheelchair (sigh) I just said “no, I can just walk with you” She was nice but seemed a little irritated, maybe she thought I was too lazy to find my own damn way out of the airport or maybe she did think I was retarded.
After my fun filled-trip in Seattle I had the most frustrating time I’ve ever had in an airport. SF walked me to the gate (well we thought it would be my gate). I talked to the foreign chick (I’m not a racist but she kind of made me think twice about ummm, foreigners) and I told her I would need assistance getting to the plane, in hindsight I should have said that I needed a sighted guide. She said ok and someone would come get me when the plane was getting ready to board. I thought 'ok, I’ll sit here and try to look insignificant for a while'.
I overheard that the gates in my section were getting changed one after the other I just knew mime was coming up too. Sure enough mine was switched. Only eight gates down and I probably would have found it just fine but I went up to the desk anyway. There was another guy asking about the switch and right there I should have kept my mouth shut and just subtly followed him to the gate. But a bit of panic took over and I told her I needed assistance. So she looks over at a couple of workers and said and I quote “This girl is retarded or something can you bring her to her gate?” It took me a moment to figure out what she said, due to the thick accent.
When it finally processed what she said I almost slammed my hand on the desk and screamed at her. Instead, being the whimp that I am, I said “I’m not retarded just vision-impaired, that’s all.” And btw there was an older couple standing right there looking at me knowing what was going on and which gate I was going to but they said nothing. So this girl came over, told me to follow her and I, again, reiterated that I was just vision-impaired. She didn’t reply. She had me get on a shuttle, another worker (a guy) also got on. He heard the whole thing too and acted all cheerful and shit and annoyingly asking me how my day was and where I was going. Me, close to tears, responded with one word answers. They stopped at my gate said something and I got off without a word. Big surprise-the same guy I could have followed was standing there, he didn’t say anything to me...fucking idiot.
As I stood there that older couple that witnessed the humiliation came wandering over. Again not saying a word. This girl that had not witnessed the BS came up and asked to use my phone...yay! I felt normal again.
That lasted about a minute until the gal at the podium called me. She told me that someone would help me, again I had to explain I didn’t need a wheelchair or an elevator just a sighted guide. At that point I wished I would have told her I didn’t need any help and went back to talk to the girl that used my phone. Then the stupid ass pilots needed to rest or something so I had to just stand there like a moron for ten minutes. They announced that any passengers that had kids or needed assistance can board. I went up there and she said someone was coming for me. The dumb bitch proceeds to allow all passengers on. I had to back out of the way of the crowd. The person who came to help was looking for me. I was behind the crowd and I had to make my way through and announce that I was the one they were looking for. At this point I was about ready to kill myself. I followed the gal down the two flights of stairs and noticed that I could probably have done this all on my own. I am used to those jet ways they have that you have to walk a long distance with multiple doors to choose from. The plane was pretty much right out the door. So I asked the girl helping me how many rows there were and said I needed the back doorway. I went up the stairs by myself, much to her mild surprise, I’m sure. Found my seat next to some guy and I tried for a while not to cry. My spirits were lifted when they said there was beer.
I try not to think “oh why, oh why me” but it’s hard when shit like this happens. I have had flight attendants that were crabby outright and others that were indifferent and even the airport workers were usually pretty nice. Though one time a guy drove me in one of those shuttles up to this big area that had a bunch of gates and pointed in the general direction of my gate. I nearly missed the flight cuz I wasn’t sure which door to go to. And all I do before I have to fly anywhere is stress about finding where I need to go. I know no one else even thinks about it twice when they fly. It’s not a big deal...you just follow the signs, and if you can’t see the signs? Well fuck you, your screwed. That’s when I get the "why me" syndrome and wonder why I even bother with the traveling by myself anyway. It gets tiresome dealing with the idiots that have never dealt with a blind person before. I wonder what happens when they have to deal with a real retarded person.
Posts
