Saturday Afternoon

 I don't, as a rule, like helping people with disabilities at work.  Most of them are very difficult.  It is easy to see why no one wanted to go shopping with them.  

Very early on in our relationship Ron told me "All blind guys are perverts" which extends to some other guys with physical problems - one man who uses a wheelchair has groped me, and other women, on the crazy train bus route.  I guess he figures no one's going to slap him because he's in a wheelchair.  He's one of those guys I encounter occasionally who is constantly sizing me up.  I've learned to look out for that type.  

It's sad, I used to have a "Halo" effect, I thought they could do nothing wrong.  But I had one customer in a power wheelchair zipping all over the store making me chase her with a shopping cart.  She wasn't in a hurry, she just wanted to run me around.  My boss had told her I could only help her until 3 PM.  2:55 she is checking out and I take her stuff to the door.  She turns to me and says "I forgot the ranch dressing we have to go back."  I told her you do, my boss told me to leave at 3.  But this nice lady here will watch your cart for you.  She had already told me her ride didn't come for another hour.  

Then there is the couple I first encountered on paratransit.  They like to shop in the late afternoon on the weekend, and complain there is no one to help.  I told them for years, if you want help, if you want the store to yourself, go at 7-9 in the morning.  On a weekday.  It is great, plenty of employees around ready to help.  "I don't want to get up that early".  So I see them shopping by themselves in the late afternoon.  

Things like that.  Then there was the blind guy.  My boss told me to go help a customer "over there" "You will know who he is, Heather' with a grin.  And sure enough there's a blind guy about my age.  I walked up and asked if he needed help shopping.  He said yes.  Tried to tell me how to guide him.  I told him "I was a teacher's aide in a class for blind students for 2 years before I married my husband, who was also blind..." he cut me off and said he found the word "blind" offensive and I had better use the words "Low Vision" from now on.  I said.  "He was blind".  

The guy argues with me, "He had some vision, didn't he?"  "No he did not, not even light perception".  Then I helped him get what he wanted.  For instance he wanted Powerade bottles.  We didn't have one of the flavors he wanted.  I said we have a Powerade powder you can put in a bottle of water it's a lot easier to get home.  If you already have bottled water at home?  He said yes and take me to it.  I did, he got a couple flavors.  I even got him a candy bar from the checkout because he said he was hungry and wanted something quick.  

It left a bad taste in my mouth.  I guess I sort of figured I would meet a man with a disability but that hasn't happened.  That's fine.  I don't have to do any caregiving either.  

The cats are very low maintenance.  Spotty laid down with me for a nap.  Well he laid down until I fell asleep and then he left, but it's lovely weather for a human or a cat - they like the same weather we do - so he went out.  Good, have fun, be safe baby.  

I did my henna touch up on my roots.  I basically mush it in at the hairline and my part, the crown of my head, wrap it in plastic, the same henna routine just 1/10 of the hair covered.  I wrapped the affected area in plastic.  Happily I can wear my glasses.  I have about 3 hours to go.  

I am cleaning the house - it needed it- and my aunt is coming.  She's going to love my hair.  It is so long now I have to use 2 clips to put it up during my shower.  It's about 3/4 of the way down my back.  The henna really helps it grow in fast and strong.  Thank you, Indo-Pak import store!  

I still have enough to do a couple more months.  I like to do a root touchup about halfway through (2 weeks).  I need to clean up the kitchen and fix something for my dinner.  I did clean out the fridge thank God that was a lot.  

That's it for now!