We spent this past weekend in Altoona PA at the SciFi Convention. While Scott and I sold FlexyFriends in the exhibitor hall, Timmy and Rob explored the convention. Between the amazing cosplay and the retro video arcade, the boys were in their element. One of the opportunities presented at the convention included petting and posing with a wolf. Of course Timmy was all over this and began to plan his photo on the first day.
Sunday morning we dressed and headed down to the vendor hall. (I was wearing shorts, which is important for the story.) Knowing that the line gets very long, Timmy and I headed straight to the wolf encounter. Even though we were early, we still had to wait. Because each interaction takes 10 minutes, the line moved slow and there was much time for anticipation.
After waiting for nearly an hour, the curtain draws and it is time for us to enter. Timmy's smile is huge and he starts to bop up and down. Out of nowhere, a guy steps right in front of Timmy. I didn't see this dude swoop in but he nearly knocked us over as he elbowed a pathway through our bodies.
Looking ahead he muttered, "I have a disability, so I'm going to go now. You can wait."
The worker opens the curtain, and the dude saunters right in front of both Timmy and me (holding but not using his cane). The curtain was shut in our face. I was gobsmacked.
The worker smiled, shrugged, and whispered "You understand, he has a disability."
I think she thought we would be okay with it?
Before I knew what was coming out of my mouth (that happens to me sometimes), I said while not whispering "If he is going to play the disability card, he damn well better make sure he is going to win."
The dude opens the curtain and glares at me.
So I said it again, in case he didn't hear me the first time from behind the curtain.
"If you are going to play the disability card, you need to make sure you are going to win. I have also been standing for almost an hour, which is not easy to do with a single leg. In the hierarchy of disability, I win but I still waited my turn because that is what decent f*cking people do."
( I then extend my prosthetic leg Rockette style and hold it out dramatically for all to see.)
The worker, who quickly claimed she did not see my carbon fiber leg, started to stammer. The dude turned as red as his hat and went back behind the curtain. An individual dressed like Strawberry Shortcake clapped. Spiderman gave me a high five and some anime character I didn't recognize offered me a fist bump.
Our wolf encounter was comped.
