After arriving at the Toyota Center, we jumped out the car and started the journey to find the entrance that I was told to use. Well, people were every where. We could hardly walk on the sidewalks. It reminded me of NYC when all the people are getting off of work at quitting time. People, people, people, covering the streets, like ants covering a cracker.
Well, my cousin, who didn't have any problem pushing her way through the crowd, got us through without any incidents. She was forging her way through the crowd, sometimes announcing, "Excuse me. I have a blind woman with me." Usually, I mind those kinds of announcements. But since we were on a mission, I understand and endorse using whatever means are necessary to get the job done. And that's exactly what she was doing.
When we got to the door, the workers did not want to let us in, because we didn't have a blue VIP pass. My cousin explained to the workers that we were instructed by the Obama office to use that particular entrance. The workers were still tripping. Finally, I explained my issue to a police officer, informing him that we were told that people with disabilities could access the VIP entrance. Well, he let us through.
Once we got on the inside, we had to sit down and wait until the workers could show us where we could sit. Well, of course, the workers were running and leaping to serve the so called VIP's. They ignored us and continued to ask us to wait to be seated. Each time they would ask us to wait, they would escort another so called VIP to their seats. Well, an hour went by, and your girl was starting to get fired up. As much as I didn' want to set it off, I knew that it was getting closer and closer to me actually having to clown them.
Thankfully, I didn't have to clown too much. After I got through frowning up my face and strongly telling Obama's staff and volunteers that I was instructed by an Obama staffer to use that entrance, and that accessibility should have been considered and planned for, they started trying to help me. One of the ladies started apologizing to me profusely. Well, she was a little out done when I responded to her apology with my brand of rebuke. I told her that i was not shocked by the way we were being ignored and neglected. I told her that the disabled is the most forgotten/neglected/pushed aside population in the US. She was stunned by my words. She told me to "please not say that." I guess she couldn't handle the truth.
Well, now that we were going to our seats, I wasn't ticked any more. I brushed off the annoyance with the workers and geared myself for one of the greatest opportunities of my life-to see the next President of the United States. I sat in my chair, and took a deep breath, excited that I was getting a chance to be apart of a phenominal historical moment.
**I will write my third installment to this four part story tomorrow. Check me out. I will also write about how some of the events of the last few days has effected me.
Have a good day, and be blessed.
Angie**
1 comment:
When I first saw Obama at the democratic convention, I knew he was the man for the top job. I volunteered at the Obama event here in Fort Worth. They actually had a group of people to handle people with disabilities, so maybe they learned from your experience!
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