Val Is Almost Killed With Kindness: Weirdo Edition

The magnet is hummin'! Weirdos are on me like Ty Beanie Baby flies on Ty Beanie Baby Poop! Val's Weirdo Magnet was supercharged on Monday.

I was on the parking lot at leg therapy, killing the last few minutes before I had to go inside and stake out a chair in the waiting room. It's tight quarters there, and I always back into the last handicap space on the front row. Otherwise it's hard to back up and maneuver T-Hoe when leaving. 

A man (WEIRDO) came out the door. I have not seen him there before, though I go twice a week, since the beginning of May. He was a lanky fellow, in jeans, tan t-shirt, and a trucker cap. He could have passed for early 20s if you didn't see his face. Which made him appear to be 45-50. He wandered. Bending over to look in a ditch at the end of the lot. Then just standing. Peering down the road. Pacing back and forth across the six lower spaces, preventing entering cars from parking there. It was 90 degrees. It seemed like odd behavior. I guess he was waiting on somebody to be done with an appointment. He finally went back inside.

The lot had filled up sooner than usual this day. I headed inside to claim a chair. Let the record show that there are two glass doors at the entrance. The door on the left is automatic. Not that it opens with a sensor. Just that once you pull to enter, the door opens itself, then closes. I had used this door on the very first visit. It started closing before I was all the way across the threshold. I tried to hold it with my arm, which had no effect. I hurried myself in before it slammed me in the back. I'm not a good hurrier.

Anyhoo... now that I know about that automatic door, I avoid it. I was walking past it to reach for the regular manual door. I could see Weirdo standing inside, peering out. Then THE AUTOMATIC DOOR STARTED OPENING! Weirdo had pushed on it to "help" me.

I was directly in front of that door. I didn't have my cane, since I know the layout now, and only need to walk inside and sit down. I am not sure-footed. I cannot move fast. I couldn't get out of the way of that opening door! It hit me on the left shoulder! I was able to lean and grab at the regular door, and avoid being swept backward by the automatic door.

"Hey! That hit my shoulder!"

"Oh, no. I'm sorry!"

"It's okay. There's a reason I avoid that door! I can't move fast enough to get through it! Or get away from it, apparently."

"I'm really sorry."

"I'm all right. Don't worry about it."

Of course there was half a waiting room full of people watching my misfortune. At least I didn't fall on the concrete sidewalk, which was the concern of my occupational therapist when I told her about my encounter.

Hick says there must be some way to stop that door when it's in motion. He saw it with his own eyes when he took me to the first appointment. Yet he still couldn't figure out how to stop it. You'd think this would be some kind of OSHA violation! At least half the people who go here have a cane or walker or limp, or are young children coming for speech or behavioral issues.

I really wish people would take a break from "helping" me when I'm out and about...