Did you ever get a new bike or skateboard that you couldn't wait to try out?
Sure. Most of us have.
It was like that for me back in August when I got my scooter. I felt like a kid. The thought of being whisked along, faster than everyone else, my hair blowing in the breeze...gave me butterflies. It had been a long time since I had access to all those horses under the hood when I needed them!
Effortless. That's the word. Suddenly I could move along through the crowds without having to schlepp with a walker or propel myself in my manual wheelchair.
I wasn't disappointed. It felt amazing!!
There was a bit of a learning curve, however, as there is with any new skill. At home, I learned to maneuver around corners into tight spaces and through narrow doorways. Allow me to interpret that for you. I scuffed walls, dinged base boards, and actually took one bi-fold closet door off its hinges..! To say I was apprehensive about leaving home would be an understatement.
One of my very first forays out into this new world was to see my neurologist. My scooter was about a week old at the time. I always consult Dr. B about my equipment decisions. He liked my new ride and was really happy for me, so after my exam he asked me to show him what this scooter could do! I was surprised, but we went out into the waiting room and I started putting my machine through its paces!
I should probably point out that my scooter has a unique way of denoting high and low gears.. You see there's a drawing of tortoise on one side of the gear indicator and a hare at the other end! It's true! Apparently someone decided this would be cuter than the typical 'Low, Medium and High' gears!
I rode back and forth at 'Tortoise' status at first and eventually cranked it up to 'Hare!' I was cruising, turning it on a dime, barely missing a silk tree next to a table. (Those bi-fold doors flashed through my mind!) We both laughed. I zig-zagged across the room to demonstrate its maneuverability. He grinned and nodded.
I was showing off now. That's never good.
So...
For my grand finale, I put my kick-ass scooter in Hare and began to turn it in a circle around his waiting room!! (Yes, I am a moron!)
When I turned over, I was next to a love seat, fortunately, because it gave me a soft landing and kept me from hitting the floor! I ended up slumped over a seat cushion with my scooter nearly on its' side.
I was laughing.
Dr. B wasn't. The look on his face said he was concerned that I had hurt myself.
"Are you hurt, Ann?"
I was fine, but I learned what NOT to do with my new ride!
Fast forward to yesterday's adventure.
It was a strange morning because I woke up feeling well enough to leave the house. So, I decided to take full advantage of this gift by grabbing a coffee and heading out to the new Hobby Lobby nearby. Don't laugh. One of my doctors says he can tell everything he needs to know about me by asking how often I get out to go shopping!
I was looking for some pottery (a favorite of mine!) and maybe some silk hydrangea for a new floral
arrangement. (I found both)
But something unexpected happened in the process.
I was using one of those small baskets to put my purchases in as I shopped. You know, the ones with the 2 handles.. It was sitting precariously on my lap as I drove myself around the store. Things were calm and controlled as I puttered around the store at a nice tortoise-like speed until I spotted the perfect candle holder off in the distance! I hit the gas and flipped the gear shift! My scooter leaped forward at hare-like speed as my head whipped back!
I got closer to the display and backed off the gas...only nothing happened. Oh my gosh! I was heading full-speed ahead for one of those beautiful display tables! My shopping basket was wedged in the handlebars, pressing on the gas and I couldn't get it free.
Ceramic bowls, pottery pitchers, glass vases, metal frames, wood carvings and my beautiful candle holder all feared for their lives!
I couldn't steer. I couldn't slow down. So naturally I shrieked. (Yes, I was scared!)
Shoppers poked their heads out of surrounding aisles just in time to see me flying by! I am not even kidding you when I say that I got my basket 'un-stuck' no more than 2 inches from that table! My scooter came to rest, the display intact and my basket of treasures unscathed.
It was a miracle. I couldn't believe it. I didn't hit a thing. Thank You God.
I needed a minute. I had to catch my breath. I made it a point not to make eye contact with anyone. It would just be too embarrassing..! I put my ride in Tortoise and slowly made my way to the registers. When I got to the car, I shook my head and laughed...
'Oh Ann! How do you get yourself into these situations?'
Love, Joy and Peace my Friends xx
(and be careful on your scooters!)
