I Should Have Stayed At Home Today .....

The robbery looked something like this.

Shortly after noon, I headed out to the neighborhood Chinese buffet for a bit of lunch.  While it appears pretty disreputable the food is not bad and the price is reasonable.  At any rate, I've eaten there for years and never gotten sick.  It is definitely a north side type place.  A lot of Mexicans, a lot of blue collar whites, blacks from the nearby apartments.  And, there were two lawyers in the place today as well, myself and another guy whose face I recognized but whose name I cannot remember.

As I sat down to eat, I noticed a tallish, thin white man in his 20's wearing a dark blue hoodie and sneakers. He looked and acted like a druggy.  He tried several times to distract the cashier and then apparently settled down like he was waiting for someone.  When the cashier did move away, he made a move for the register which was bolted down and locked up.  So, he grabbed the poor waitress's tips and ran out the door.  This all took about two seconds.

I jumped to my feet and headed toward his back.  I yelled out and asked what had been stolen.  The little Chinese lady said "tree dollah."  I didn't see a weapon so I didn't pull mine and at any rate the guy was hightailing it across the parking lot.  After he made it across Sheridan, we could see him in the Dentist's parking lot across the street ambling back in to the apartments behind.  I told the Chinese lady she should call the cops.  She wouldn't do it.  I told her she should get a baseball bat because the next robber might try to make her open the register.  She said, "I just woman. No can do that."  

From there, I went to the post office.  As I arrived, there was a new red Camry in front of me waiting in line

for the next parking spot.  The first spot that came open was the single handicapped spot.  The Camry pulled into it.  I looked carefully to see if she was going to display a handicap sticker.  She didn't. What did happen was that a tall, twentyish blonde woman got out of the car and did a cute little dancing run right up the steps and into the building. And, she wasn't just there to check her box.  She got in the long line for service.  I was not a happy camper.

So, I went inside and got in line.  I waited until I caught her eye and spoke to her very loudly, saying, "Maam did you know that you are parked in a handicapped spot?  Did you know that that is against the law?  Did you know that you can be fined up to $500.00 for that."  She began apologizing, saying it was the only spot available and she was just trying to get out of my way. Duh.  Getting out of my way didn't me any good if she was parked in the only available parking spot!  I intended to embarrass her and I believe I did.

Just a few months back, I watched a woman pull in to that same spot.  She was driving a 100k plus Mercedes convertible.  She was a tall Latina with a model's figure. Her designer clothes probably cost as much as some of the dilapidated cars in the overcrowded parking lot. And, she too paid no attention to the handicapped sign, pulled in as though her wealth and beauty entitled her to the spot and then swished up the steps like she was working the runway.

I've got a few choice words for folks like that.  If I could run up those steps the way you did, I would gladly park half a block away and count it pure joy to take the walk.  But you see, some of us can't.  We count our steps every day knowing that if we take too many we may not sleep tonight or be able to get around tomorrow.  So, you should be grateful for your two strong legs and have the decency not to use accommodations that you don't need.