Up To My Axles

Thursday is my Chapter day. That's where I take part in the program which provides a platform for individuals who are developmentally disabled participate in reading. We meet every Thursday at 4 PM at the West Jordan library. We read for an hour that are turned loose and always book home trying to get home before Market Place is broadcast on local affiliate of NPR. Tonight, I knew I was not going to make it so I thought I would just instead of getting off my regular stop outside my apartment I would go on down to Salt Lake Community College and hit the ATM for my credit union and get cash to pay my cleaning person tomorrow. I did this with no problems. It was probably 6 o'clock by the time I got to the ATM. I got the cash headed back up to street level and headed off towards Redwood Road. The ATM is in the student center which is located pretty much center campus. As I headed out I noticed how dark the evening was becoming. There is still quite a bit of light left but I figured I'd better get on home as quick as I could. I was amazed at how deserted the campus had become. As I rolled Southwest towards Redwood Road. I came upon some construction that has been going on all summer long. I should just To the sidewalk and I usually traverse and not try to course out on the something new but I did. It looked like there is a pretty good shortcut across travel and stones, flagstones set on a path among the gravel. I really thought the gravel is really packed down but I was wrong. I got about a third of the way when the flagstones begin to shift under the weight of my wheels of my chair. My drive wheels wheels slid off the stones and almost immediately spinning in the loose gravel. I knew I was a goner as the power chair dug itself deeper and deeper into the loose gravel.

I tried the drive wheels couple times each time just spinning not getting any traction with all.. I was hoping against hope the snake some late student walking home or to the bus stop from center campus. But since I was in a quasi-instruction area I was deserted. I feebly tried shouting for help but you have to have ears to hear for that to be effective.. I thought perhaps I would call campus police I see them often on but each time I tried to call all I got was recordings of after-hours contact. Stupid, I cannot believe how stupid I am sometimes.. Even when I was able to catch an office that still have personnel on staff they would invariably send me to a phone that was only manned by people 8 to 5. Unbelievable!. The daylight was slipping away darkness was not far off. I had never done this before my phone but I thought I did not have a choice so I dialed 911. And suddenly I had a voice on the other end asking about my emergency. I felt chagrined as I recounted my situation and shortly emergency dispatch had an emergency vehicle out. I gave the best description of my location that I could and I was afraid that they would not be able to find me but in a few minutes I saw a big red fire engine train on the campus a couple minutes after that a software for heads popping up over the hill between me and the main campus. I whistled to bring your attention to my situation and soon they were there happy to see me and syndicated me about off wheeling on campus.

It did not take any effort at all for the guys to get me back on hard ground. They set me on my wayaand I was only too glad to go. Nowhere did anyone say anything about payment and I suppose dispatch can get a hold of me since they had my phone number if they really need to. I'm really thankful these guys were there and that I used them. That's twice since I've lived in this area that firemen have been dispatched to save my butt.