Has society come so far down that we do not look out for fellow humans that are struggling?
My Mother and I went out to a fast food chicken place today. We do this occassionally on Sundays when the rest of the family has other plans. We like this chicken but the others find it spicy. There were only two tables dining at the time. The lady at the table next to us saw the situation first. There was a man pulling up in a wheelchair scooter on the sidewalk heading to the door. She saw it first that he was not going to be able to hold the door and maneuver the chair to get in. I overheard her tell her husband about the man when it caught my attention. I looked at this couple to see if one of them was going to get up and help. They both sat there. I finally got up from eating to go assist this handicapped gentleman. I heard the lady tell her husband...Awwhhh, she is going to help him. I was thinking well duh lady you and your husband obviously are not going to help. ( They were two very capable healthy adults.) He thanked me.
He then went and ordered. The employees gave him his to-go order. He wheeled across the dining room but could not get past the carpet because the high chairs were in his way. I, once again, got up from eating to assist him both with the highchairs and the doors so that he may leave. He thanked me again. I was happy to assist.
My Mom was uptight. She even called the manager over to give her opinion. She understood that the employees could not see him trying to enter the restaurant and could not assist him but when he came through the line they then knew he was handicapped and may need help. They gave him his food then basically walked away. She explained to him that his customer should not have had to stop their meal to assist this man while his employees stood behind the counter talking and oblivious that the man may need assistance. She went on to explain that customer service starts from the start of walking through the door. They were not busy and could not assist they were just conversating. The manager agreed with her and also thanked me.
It still leaves me wondering. Neither the couple beside us that first discovered the situation nor any of the employees had the decency to help assist the man. What has happened to society?
Someone mentioned that they are afraid of their help being rejected. I would rather have tried to help the man and been rejected, which I wasn't , than to sit there and watch him struggle and struggle to get both in and out of the door.
2 comments:
I guess the employees figured since he made it in OK, he could make it out OK, assuming they didn't see you help him. Since the law is that places have to be handicapped accessible, they may not have realized there was a problem.
The couple eating...maybe they would have eventually helped if you hadn't? I hope so.
you know Becky, you were the good samaritan. Remember the story in the Bible, several walked by that man that was robbed but it was the Good Samirtan that helped him. Several ignored this guy but you were the one that reached out to help him. I think that is a good thing that you have that sensitivity to help others in need regardless if you were trying to eat. I think that made God smile today!
betty
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