Hi all
  I will accept help if I really need it. In fact, I often offer help to
folks, particularly the elderly. At Christmas time a few years ago, the
mall stable of wheelchairs was being used and this old lady was in a
local eatery chatting with her daughter. They were debating whether to
stick around and wait for a wheelchair to become available, or go home.
I leaned over to their table and invited the old lady to use my chair
while they shopped. She was stunned, thinking I was kidding. I hopped
out of my chair and pushed it over to her. Never gave it a second
thought. An hour went by and I was enjoying my newspapers and breakfast.
The lady came back with the chair with a big smile on her face. Turns
out she didn't quite finish her shopping so I told her to use the chair
til she was finished. When all her shopping was finally complete, she
came back and got out of the chair and I hopped back into it. We chatted
a bit over a coffee. It was at that moment that her perception of
"dis"abled people changed forever.

Cheers!

Carla

Deri James wrote:

> > Joyce - I almost never accept a stranger's offer to help as
> > that is usually more trouble than it's worth.  - Bob
> >
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: Schaeffer
> > <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent:
> > Thursday, December 16, 1999 8:36 AM Subject: Real Life
> >
> >
> > > Last night I went shopping with a friend. It was a cold
> > > Winnipeg wintery evening and after circling the lot I asked
> > > her to jop me off at the door.
>
> > > As I was getting out of the car, a woman looked down at me
> > > and asked if I needed help. I said no but I wondered that if
> > > I said yes the getting out of the car may have been more
> > > difficult and a lot less smooth.
> > >
> > > I wonder sometimes.
> > >
> > > Joyce
> > >
>
> I almost always accept offers of help.
>
> --
> Deri James