by Ruthann Miller

Created on: January 10, 2009   Last Updated: May 29, 2011

Handicapped Parking

Lady, I hope when you finally find and have time to read this note that you're just relaxing in your favorite chair. You see, I left this for you on your car. I folded it up real small, so you wouldn't just think it was an advertising flyer and toss it without reading it.

I had time to write it while I sat in the passenger's side of my car, waiting for you to come out of the grocery store. You parked in the striped area next to my handicapped spot, with your car so close to mine, that I couldn't get into the driver's side to drive away. I waited patiently for you at first. Then I went into the store and asked the store manager to page you over the intercom with your license number. When it was clear after thirty minutes, you had no intention of hurrying out to move your car; I called the police to have you ticketed. I probably could have been more patient, but it was a long day at work for me, and I was exhausted.

The cops are pretty slow, and still had not arrived after another fifteen minutes when you finally returned to your purple Pontiac with your two tiny children in tow, carrying balloons and groceries. I watched as you carefully put your little ones into their car seats, and buckled them in. You finally climbed into the driver's seat, and looked over at me, laughing and waving, before you flipped me off and sped out of the parking lot.

The officer finally came, and told me there was nothing he could do because he had to "catch you in the act" of illegally parking. He drove off, and I sat there another moment, thinking what a pretty young mother you seemed to be. I know people like you who think all the handicapped in the world are just something to laugh at, and that your life is so much more important than theirs. I thought about how the disease that I have strikes young people your age most often, and how being disabled is not quite the laughing matter to those of us who have our lives disrupted, our bodies destroyed, our finances ruined, and our youth stolen from us. I sat and said a prayer for you you'll never be found in that position, and then I asked God to forgive me for being so tired and losing my temper over your thoughtlessness.

I'll ask Him again tomorrow morning in the church pew, because I'm already feeling bad over what I did. I hope you're never disabled, young missus, because you just might turn into a cranky old lady like me. I hope you didn't have far to go home, because I took all four of your tire caps OFF, let some air out of your tires, and then THREW THEM AWAY. Good luck!

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