We all know the story of the old man, the grandson and the donkey who set out on a journey to the next village. Both walking alongside the donkey produced remarks such as, How silly! Why doesn’t someone sit on the donkey? When the old man started riding: “How selfish. He is making the poor boy walk!” Then when both of them climbed on the animal to ride, “ How inhumane. That poor creature will get killed! And so on.
The pith of the story became my experience somewhat when I arrived at the Bangalore airport and got into the wheelchair I had requested. The attendant happily strapped me in, placed the carry on suitcase on my lap and proceeded to push the wheel chair to the baggage claim area.
The attendant’s face fell when he retrieved my suitcases, pulled out a cart and loaded the suitcases on to the cart. His looks alternated between the wheelchair and the cart. Two hands, eight wheels!
“No matter,” he seemed to decide, “I will push both.” And he began dealing with it as best as he could.
He stopped and asked me, “Do you think you can walk a little?”
“Yes,” I said and got out, since other than a chronically swollen leg, I am not immobile. For him an empty chair was easier to push, of course.
After a while to help me, he suggested I place a hand on the carriage. Pretty soon I found myself pushing the cart and he was pushing the empty wheel chair! He stopped again.
“That’s right,” I said, anticipating his thought. I can push the wheel chair since it is lighter. We must have made a ludicrous scene, me pushing the empty wheelchair and he the cart! He stopped again, and stood thinking! I realised it was time for me to take over the problem.
There was a man, who looked like a guard, lolling in a chair at the entrance. I called out to him and asked if he could help. He came and pushed the cart to the taxi stand while a relieved attendant pushed the wheelchair with me in it. Time for someone to come up with an idea to transport passengers in wheelchair AND their luggage with two hands!