Crossing the street

I was out walking Claren tonight when I had one of my trademark brilliant ideas -- it was almost as good as using a towel to give my manual chair wind power.

I decided that rather than saunter across the street in third gear, I'd kick it up a notch and zoom across in fourth gear (they are program modes not gears, but which is understandable). Seeing the way some jabronies drive, it is not a bad idea.

Unfortunately, my execution was also characteristically flawed ... twice.

First, the idea came to me when I was about 10 feet into the intersection -- I was crossing with the light.

Second, I decided to change the gears with my thumb. The main thing I hate about the new chair is the controller. They tried to make it one-size-fits-all, no matter the disability. Everything is in a real tight area, so I can hit all the buttons with my thumb, often accidentally, such as the menu button when I am driving along. That stops the chair. So obviously, does turning it off. The on-off switch is the gear changer.

You see where I am going. I am sure. I tried to put the chair in fourth gear and wound up turning it off ... in the middle of the street. Fortunately, the car turning right was no jabroni and let me restart it and get to the sidewalk.

In addition to everything else, I think disability sends you on a mission, kind of like Star Trek: To seek out new and unorthodox ways to die. It is a never-ending mission ... unless, of course, one of your findings kills you.