Snow had fallen during the night—quite a lot but not
disabling—but made for a tough morning. I don’t know why yesterday’s snow was
so challenging g but I felt the tugs and pushes on my chair as I headed out the
door and up to the bus stop. I believe he streets had been plowed at some time
during the morning but there was enough
snow left that my tread on my wheelchair wheels quickly became clogged and became essentially worthless. I sensed
I was taxing my power chair but became extra worried when all of the sudden my
chair complete shut off in the middle of
the street. I had never had the chair completely shut off being for.
The street was quiet and dark as I sat completely immobile,
I noted for the first time that I did have my cell with me. I left the phone on
the table as I hustled getting ready for work.
I would not be able to call DD or anyone else for that matter. I was in
trouble. I the darkness of the morning I
heard someone up shoveling their walk and was about to call for assistance and I
heard a faint “click” and I tried turning on my chair again sure enough I had
power and forward motion.
I missed my bus for want of coffee, I was that
late, I was just getting my coffee when
the bus pulled in. I just let the bus go, I caught the next which was OK, I
knew it was going to be a long morning any way-don’t sweat the little thing. I
was shocked when I did get to the train station at the condition of the platforms.
The last night’s snow was still all over and being stomped down into slick
annoying ice
There was a sense of trauma in the air as report
came in about an accident at 21st station, someone had been run over
and pinned under the train. All inbound trains were being down loaded at 21st
and supposedly being bus bridged to Ball Park station. It was chaos at the 33rd
station. I had noticed at my station that the snow was deep and slippery the
platforms had not been maintainenced at all, from the bus to the platform.
I could barely move between the snow and the people, a huge line snaked
to two buses supposedly fairing people
but this was a joke. The snow made me immobile and I was relying on people,
able bodied folk to push me of out snow and ice holes, in fact I was adopted by
two guys from London who did a lot of pushing—I waited for the “bus bridge” for
almost an hour. As I was nearing the bus suddenly we received word that what
ever issue had messed up the trains had
been resolved and the trains were back on line. I jumped the red line which I
think was a mistake—my train was packed like a kipper snack.
I had nearly drained my batteries and I was worried I
was not going to be able to make it to my office. There was also the issue of
snow piles everywhere and I was petrified I was going to get stuck, but I made
it all the way in, I could not even do a slight cline without my whole system
crashing down. But I made it just 90 minutes later then I usually came onto
work. The phones were already on and calls were flooding in and I was late.
