Two stories

I was just writing on a forum about how Ron and I used to go hiking together.  Well, we only went one time but it was a lot of fun. 

There was a large undeveloped park, with trails, about a $20 cab ride from our home.  It was a pretty big expense for us at the time but one day we saved up and did it.  We wore comfortable clothes and shoes.  Ron brought his long white cane, and we caught a cab to the ranger's station.  Ron was very familiar with the park, as he had hiked there by himself many times before, after getting a feel for the park by going with sighted people. 

So he took me and showed me around.  We walked for several miles, he held onto my elbow and used his long white cane to feel for obstructions.  We had a lot of fun.  He started calling me his "camel" after that because I drank most of the water.  I have always been a thirsty one. 

After we were finished, we walked back down to the ranger station and asked them to call us a cab (no one had cell phones, back then).  We really enjoyed it but things got in the way, our relationship was rocky, etc. 

We even "got" a free trip to a renowned national park, but the driver wouldn't let us out to explore because he had just had foot surgery.  If he couldn't hike, no one could.  I so wanted to go hiking with Ron there. 

We moved and not many places to hike in Houston, that I know of, and we were overwhelmed with the business.  Then the accident and no more hiking for Ron, ever. 

That's sad. 

I meant to share something that happened yesterday at Sam's Club.  You will remember I recently had a run-in with a mexican woman at Walmart, shoving my cart into me, trying to "hurry" me, grabbing at my stuff (I am not overtly disabled so she was just being a bitch), etc.  I had to tell her, firmly, to back off.  She finally did and I'll be honest, I went slower just to piss her off.  She would have been a lot better off NOT rushing me because I am contrary. 

Anyway, I was at Sam's.  I was buying my stuff for work.  There was an older black lady behind me.  She and I were chatting about her dogs.  And then, the same thing, the woman behind her (mexican) started shoving her and telling her to hurry, she had kids at home. 

Here is an American colloquial phrase for those of you abroad: the old lady WENT OFF on her abuser, shouting at her, cursing her out, and threatening to beat her.  I thought it was an entirely appropriate reaction. 

What is it in mexican culture these days that says it is OK to ram, shove, and push people at a register, if you feel they are not "fast" enough checking out?  I would like to know.  I have never seen a white or black do that.  And it's only been in the last month, and it's happened twice. 

I remember my mexican coworkers had such a hard time with me because I refused to have disabled children.  They told me I should "anyway" and I would get a nice fat disability check for each child.  I would never condemn a child to a life of misery just so I could get a check!  Never!  But it's like the primary directive, to a woman, in mexican culture: have lots of babies.  So they have a big family.  Then the husband doesn't help (at least what I have seen with the culture, he plays with the kids a little and disciplines, but doesn't stay up all night with the sick baby), so she is, in effect, a single parent.  Then she has to work a full time job to pay for all the kids, because she wants a "good" standard of living (new car, house in "nice" neighborhood, nice clothes, etc.).  I can see why she would have a lot of anger and want to lash out, but, dude, I wasn't doing that to people when I was unmedicated and had every excuse in the world. 

It's scary.  Maybe I need to get another stun gun, in case one of them attacks me again.  I'm not going to let them bully me, and that's all it is: bullying. 

I hate bullies.