how things have changed

          retail has changed almost as much as our bodies have changed allowing people with disabilities ever greater opportunity to get out and experience shopping for them selves that they would not have been able to do otherwise. i took mom to lowes yesterday and this is my second attempt at getting her used to the carts they offer for disabled folks. the staff is real friendly and helpful when explaining how to use carts and such. 

   now i understand pretty well but can still have my moments . i immediately hopped on cart and tried to pull away with out unhooking cord. this is second time i have done that. first the girl caught me second time it just snapped right out of socket and came trailing behind me . and i am worried about mom. 

     well the first cart i get isn't so much of a race car, and about a day later i get to truck and pick up mom then push her back into lowes store and we exchange that cart for a faster model, this one worked to good as it wasn't long before mom was zipping down aisles we went all over the store checking out garden products and looking at flowers , picking up a roll of mulch paper we stowed in basket on cart. 

    i just let mom go as i went down to plumbing to pick up a couple of things, and showed her where the light bulb section was . as i went around corner i could see her with that roll of mulch paper making her way to the light bulb section hoping that she didn't take out a row of light bulbs in her path as she veered closer to the bulbs. upon returning everything still seemed to be in its place as we went on around the corner. it was then the mulch paper begin to wipe things out but luckily i was watching and readjusted it. we had some paint shook up that we were buying and i went off to grab a new shovel as i went through 3 this spring as handles have broke in all. 

     i get back to the paint counter and mom was gone and i look down through the store and see here wondering around  on her cart just looking for things to buy as if the cart wasn't full enough. after a little maneuvering we are able to get mom close enough to the counter to sign for her for credit card purchases all from the comfort of her store scooter. in her excitement she backs up after making purchases and almost ends up in a display but manages to wrangle the big boy out the door where it is pouring the rain down outside. 

      i tell her to stay in the comfort of the awning where it is dry while i retrieve the expedition . i pull it up close to the door and mom comes out from under the awning with the scooter and everything is getting soaked including her and the scooter and everything we bought. i usher mom inside the truck and proceed to hurry and get packages inside. then i return to the scooter which now has a half inch of rain on the seat . also this is a electrical vehicle and shouldn't be wet but i return to the expedition and grab a handful of mc donalds napkins and semi dry the seat and take the cart back inside. whewwwwww. 

    in the old days items would be stacked in narrow aisles and usually you would have to climb a set of steps to just get into the store products available would be limited to what ever your hardware owner would use himself for most part. he might fetch parts if you needed it ,but for the most part you would have to send someone else if you were disabled .this added to your shut in life. when our trip was all over with it felt good to know mom was able to experience this herself . imagine we will be going to other places next.