I think I have been played a again-I mean people with disabilities are such are such a used commodity. I do not think I would not be as pissed off about the whole used think if we ass a class or me as an individual got something out of the usury.
The whole stated a couple weeks ago when I got called by someone named Mike who identified himself as someone who worked with a private non-profit, some sort of advocacy group with the name of Utah Advocates. It seems the Utah Advocate were putting together an award presentation for a Utah congressman and wanted to ask m to attend nd possibly get some face time with the congressman. The presentation would be at a place to be announced and I would receive more information as the date drew closer. I told him I would think about attending the event and pretty much letting the idea drop until I heard more on the topic or I felt like leaving the office for an adventure. Figuring the event would be held at the congressman's office in South Salt Lake or down town or up at the State capitol which should be fairly easy to get to and not too time consuming.
The event was yesterday and Tuesday afternoon, I got a call from Mike letting me know the event was going to be at the Sandy Senior Center,, all the way at the other end of the Valley. I really did not nt to be spending my whole day in transit. I let mike know, this was pretty last minute and what were they thinking Sandy!! But I got to thinking about the event and I watched the weather actually called for beautiful , crisp, dry yet cool, transit weather. I checked with UTA and I could”bullet” down on the train and hope a “Fast” bus with would take me with in a block and a half of the senior center( I found out later when I boarded the bus that tfor just one dollar the driver would drop me off at the front door center, which I gladly payed) and the trip was very comparable with the same trip time wise if I had driven my van. I went
I think It took me between 45 and fifty minutes to get to the sr center. I had time to kill when I di get there. The congressional delegation was just getting there, there was a little chaos. It just so happened on of my best friend's wives works at the center so we chatted and she grabbed the “Puzzle lady” into giving me my own guided tour of the place and I must admit I was impressed but what this center had to offer everything from computers to languages to pottery music to food. It was weird everywhere we stopped I was surrounded and welcomed into the fold—like I was one of “them”. It was just as easy to nod my head yes then try to explain I as still among the living and I was there on business.
The Congressional finally did arrive and all the players were herded to the common room and the Congressman smiled make small talk and pretended to answer questions from some of the more feisty seniors—sensitive questions were deflected a plaque was given and then the congressman was con. I stayed for lunch—just because I could. This whole event was a non event, something just whipped up to have the congressman get some recognition—the event was pure fluff, pure “wag the dog” So, all day I have been trying to get hold of this Mike guy or his “Utah Advocates” The congressman or his people really don't know them, th congressman was just responding to a request to be somewhere , at certain time smile and talk—they did not know Mike, I have been calling to other private nonprofits and they don't know him—Mike is gone pecan. Myself another high profile person in wheelchair “crips of record” we there they just because we were in chairs to look good. We were definitely used new?
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