My Most Recent Walmart Adventure

[Thor]

During a recent trip to Walmart, I had decided to just use my cane to traverse the store. While somewhat painful, I felt that I could use the exercise. Needless to say, I came across a couple of fat ****s riding those damned scooters. One was an older man and another was a woman, probably mid to late 30s, both were obese or worse. As I strolled by I said something about "lazy assed MFers", not directing that statement at anybody in particular. I thought I was pretty cute, in a way. As I was getting ready to leave the store, the woman noticed me sitting down, resting, and complained loudly to her friend that I was a mean and evil person and some other chastising comments, making eye contact with me as she "limped by". I don't know if she were faking the limp or not. I got up and headed towards the check out stand. She then confronted me by asking if I had "anything else to say". I told her gruffly, No, not a thing". I guess I made her feel guilty because neither one of them had any assistive devices in their "in store chariots" and she had subsequently abandoned hers. The obese man was still riding around on his. Little by little, I'm going to try and guilt these lazy assed people into NOT riding those scooters.

[Odin's Hand]

Yeah, I can see it for people who are actually physically crippled...but, half the time, most of them are just so damn fat they don't want to have to walk around the store to load up on more Twinkies and Dr. Pepper.

[Eupher]

These are the same morbidly obese turds that wheel up in their cars, sporting a handicapped license plate, and except for the wallowing factor they don't seem to have a big problem getting around. That is, don't get in their way when they're buying donuts.

You gotta wonder what kind of physician actually signs off on this kinda shit. More PC - rather than tell 'em they're fatassed, they just go ahead and sign the paper that the state needs to issue them their handicapped plate.

[DixieBelle]

^exactly.

[Thor]

I have good days and bad days. Sometimes I ride those scooters and sometimes not. Either way, I have my cane with me. It is those without the assistive devices that kind of perturb me.


Eupher, yes, that's another of my pet peeves. One I intend to address with the Texas state legislature. TX and OK are extremely "liberal" in handing out those placards/ plates. MN wasn't quite as easy with obtaining them. No assistive device, no placard, on the whole unless one is on oxygen.

[IassaFTots]

I have good days and bad days. Sometimes I ride those scooters and sometimes not. Either way, I have my cane with me. It is those without the assistive devices that kind of perturb me.


Eupher, yes, that's another of my pet peeves. One I intend to address with the Texas state legislature. TX and OK are extremely "liberal" in handing out those placards/ plates. MN wasn't quite as easy with obtaining them. No assistive device, no placard, on the whole unless one is on oxygen.

What drives me crazy, here in Texas, is that now they have a designation on the license plate.  So, My Mom is legally disabled.  Blind, and COPD, so she travels with oxygen.  If she got the license plate, I could be one of those crazy people who borrow her car and park in the good spot, with no worries.  That stinks.  As it is, she doesn't have one, even though she has a vehicle.  She would rather walk the parking lot.  Says it is her exercise. 
Shopping takes a long time though.   Sometimes I can get her to get in the scooter. 

[thundley4]

Nom, Nom, Nom, Nom, Nom, Nom

[RobJohnson]

I have good days and bad days. Sometimes I ride those scooters and sometimes not. Either way, I have my cane with me. It is those without the assistive devices that kind of perturb me.


Eupher, yes, that's another of my pet peeves. One I intend to address with the Texas state legislature. TX and OK are extremely "liberal" in handing out those placards/ plates. MN wasn't quite as easy with obtaining them. No assistive device, no placard, on the whole unless one is on oxygen.

I don't have a cane or any assistive device, but there are days my back is so bad I can't hardly walk around those big stores. It freaking kills me, but I still do it. I usually lean on the cart more then I normally would.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

In the videogame Grand Theft Auto IV one of the ads on the radio when you're in a car talks about scooters for fat people.

"Are you fat because you're lazy or lazy because you're fat? It doen't matter when you're this cool!"

I appreciate the game for its take on cultural absurdities.

[vesta111]

I don't have a cane or any assistive device, but there are days my back is so bad I can't hardly walk around those big stores. It freaking kills me, but I still do it. I usually lean on the cart more then I normally would.

SOB

What about ME?

I weigh 105 pounds and all though too young for SS need a cane due to problems with balance. Nerves have for some reason died in my leg, I have broken my ankle twice as the leg going one way and me the other.

I have a handicap tag for the rear view mirror, and use those scooters where ever they have them.

I don't use the cane at home, I can if needed reach out and grab a counter or chair if needed.

Drives me nuts that cane, but I have found that I can paint them to give a festive air, and decorate them for the season.  Another use for them that thank heavens I have not had to use is self defence. Those things can poke an eye out of a mugger, those with crooks can trip them or crack them in the nose.  Canes are made strong to hold all kinds of weight, a good jab to the sternum will keep you safe.

 Remember Bat Masterson series, he had a walking stick that could disarm a thug in a heart beat.

I can BEE-BOP into a store climb aboard a scooter and ride about and usually end up spending much more then I would if I was in Pain

So what is the difference between me, a skinny broad and someone 3 times my size.?

We both need help for medical problems that prevent us from living as others do. Some medical problems need medication that causes the patient to pack on the pounds. 

Do you really think that 400 pound man in a scooter wants to be there.?   Do you think people enjoy living their lives being so fat they cannot get into a shower stall or need 3 men and a boy to get them out of their tub.?

How about people with COPD that have never smoked a day in their life, or people that had asbestosis in their home or worked around it years ago.?

Have you ever had to shop while in a scooter or wheel chair.    I have and let me tell you, you become invisible to others, there is no eye contact, if you ask another shopper for help they get all uneasy and cannot get away fast enough.

One never knows when something will come out of the blue, a problem that that is not genetic or life style.

Tell me Rob, if you come down with something awful and know you may gain 200 pounds on life saving medication and live another 10 years, or not take the medication because you want to die able to fit into the casket in 2 years-----what do you choose.??




.

[THA HOUSTON PIMP IS IN DA HOUZ!]

I don't have a cane or any assistive device, but there are days my back is so bad I can't hardly walk around those big stores. It freaking kills me, but I still do it. I usually lean on the cart more then I normally would.

I have chondromalacia in my knees and it is a pain in the butt.   I'm 47 but some days feel like I'm 87 with these dang knees.    Stairs are sometimes a challenge.   I too was offered a handicap plate by one of my doctors but turned it down.   I refuse to be a lazy ass.   I can walk....period.  Gotta keep in motion and get walking exercise in whatever way possible.

And yeah, I see these lazy ass blimps in Wal-Marts and other places in those carts.   They need to put the ding dongs down and get on a treadmill, steamroom, stationary bike, or swimming pool.    You do whatever cardio your body allows.

[RobJohnson]

I have chondromalacia in my knees and it is a pain in the butt.   I'm 47 but some days feel like I'm 87 with these dang knees.    Stairs are sometimes a challenge.   I too was offered a handicap plate by one of my doctors but turned it down.   I refuse to be a lazy ass.   I can walk....period.  Gotta keep in motion and get walking exercise in whatever way possible.

And yeah, I see these lazy ass blimps in Wal-Marts and other places in those carts.   They need to put the ding dongs down and get on a treadmill, steamroom, stationary bike, or swimming pool.    You do whatever cardio your body allows.

Ouch, sorry to hear about the knees. I feel the same way, walking is one of the best things for me. I also understand not everyone can.

[MrsSmith]

I know - or have known - 4 people that used the scooters at Wal-Mart.  One was my father, after an car wreck and 4 months in a coma, he was never able to walk without bars, so used the scooter everywhere he went.  He never weighed above 180, went on a diet when he got "lovehandles."  The second was my mother, despite heart surgery in her late 60s, she couldn't walk very far without becoming exhausted.  She never weighed above 120.  The third is a lovely, young woman who was beaten so badly by the father of her youngest child that she has seizures and can't trust herself on foot where the floors are hard.  She probably weighs 120, too.

The fourth is a relative of my daughter, a Vietnam Vet, who gained a great deal of weight in his 40s.  When he found out that he could qualify for disability if he weighed over 300...he gained enough weight to do so, quit his job, and settled into life in a scooter.  He's now well over 400, judging from the last photo I saw.


I've had arguments with people before about compassion for the morbidly obese...and for some, medication does "assist" the condition.  However, if you watch, you will notice that the most obese are the ones that eat 2 meals at every meal, and never skip desert...(usually deserts.)  No matter what meds you're taking, you aren't going to get huge if you don't stuff the calories into your mouth.

[whiffleball]

When he found out that he could qualify for disability if he weighed over 300

That's a new one on me and I'm guessing it varies by state.  If anything such a rule doesn't do much for encouraging the obese to lose weight.   It'd go a long way in explaining some of what I see locally while shopping.

[terry]

I agree with vesta on this.  I don't think it's cute.  I think morbid obesity has roots in mental illness.  No one wants to be over 300 lbs.  We all have issues, we all probably have mental issues and things we do that we shouldn't.  Unfortunately for the obese their issues have a very obvious, physical, public sign. 

As far as using the scooters, carts and handicapped tags, you can't tell whether someone truly needs those things by looking at them.   My mom is 79 and has serious circulation issues in her legs, she's had 2 heart attacks (first at age 59) and multiple surgeries.  Her cardiovascular system is a mess.  She can walk short distances without an assistive device.  She's never been over 300lbs but she has been overweight.  She can drive, park in a hc spot and walk in the store.  If she isn't going to be there long she can just lean on the cart, if she is going to be there longer she'll use a cart.

If some crabby old guy with a cane made some wise ass comment about cart use to my mom, I'd probably have a chat with him.  I think maybe little by little, I'm could try and guilt these rude, crabby assed people into NOT making rude comments and maybe just be more pleasant all around .

[SilverOrchid]

Those people piss me off because they are always blocked the alise and give YOU a nasty look when you say 'excuse me".

[Thor]

I agree with vesta on this.  I don't think it's cute.  I think morbid obesity has roots in mental illness.  No one wants to be over 300 lbs.  We all have issues, we all probably have mental issues and things we do that we shouldn't.  Unfortunately for the obese their issues have a very obvious, physical, public sign. 

As far as using the scooters, carts and handicapped tags, you can't tell whether someone truly needs those things by looking at them.   My mom is 79 and has serious circulation issues in her legs, she's had 2 heart attacks (first at age 59) and multiple surgeries.  Her cardiovascular system is a mess.  She can walk short distances without an assistive device.  She's never been over 300lbs but she has been overweight.  She can drive, park in a hc spot and walk in the store.  If she isn't going to be there long she can just lean on the cart, if she is going to be there longer she'll use a cart.

If some crabby old guy with a cane made some wise ass comment about cart use to my mom, I'd probably have a chat with him.  I think maybe little by little, I'm could try and guilt these rude, crabby assed people into NOT making rude comments and maybe just be more pleasant all around .

I'd be more than HAPPY to have a discussion with ANYBODY that condones abuse of the system and uses these scooters needlessly. What these actions do is deprive the ones that actually NEED the parking spaces or scooters. I have had some terribly bad days lately and have gone to look for a scooter and there were none available because they were all "in use". AS I went about my shopping, nearly tripping and/or in severe pain, I look about and all I see are fatasses on these scooters. Do some NEED them?? Possibly. What I like to pay more attention to is watching these people walk from the store to the parking lot. One can tell an awful lot by observation. When I see someone that walks with a "normal gait" or just the "fatass waddle", it is clear in MY mind that these people are merely abusing the system.


I will admit that not always can one tell what may be going on with a person just by looking and watching, but 90% of the time, one can be pretty close. I've often used a regular shopping cart to steady myself.

Perhaps it was rude, but niceties don't always get the point across. I've grown quite tired of the abuses of the "handicapped" or disabled that people do just for their own self interest or laziness.

[MrsSmith]

I don't blame you, Thor, but do remember that some real disabilities don't "show."  For instance, the young girl I mentioned...she looks just fine, is certainly not hugely obese, but still requires a scooter. 

I have much less sympathy for the huge ones IF they have a basket loaded down with sugar and fat, too. 

[Randy]

Those people piss me off because they are always blocked the alise and give YOU a nasty look when you say 'excuse me".

Yeah but they're on wheels and can't say anything fast enough when you push them out of the way.

I've been known to do that before.  The first one hunted me down to sit there on her fat ass and not say anything directly to me but bitch to herself about how rude people are. She STFU when I strolled over, leaned in, winked and agreed that Yes Ma'm she was.

[debk]

I don't normally feel much one way or the other about people on scooters....but I was in Walmart late yesterday afternoon....and of course it was jam packed.

There was a young woman, on one with a child on it with her....and the young woman was obviously mentally handicapped. Other family members were walking along behind about 6 feet or so. I'm sure they had a reason for having her on one....it was just rather disconcerting that she was obviously having problems controlling the scooter and they weren't paying much attention to her and her "driving abilities"...

My pet peeve in the stores are those kid car carts and the stores that have the little toy grocery carts for little kids to push around.....argghhhhh!!!!!

[RobJohnson]

I don't normally feel much one way or the other about people on scooters....but I was in Walmart late yesterday afternoon....and of course it was jam packed.

There was a young woman, on one with a child on it with her....and the young woman was obviously mentally handicapped. Other family members were walking along behind about 6 feet or so. I'm sure they had a reason for having her on one....it was just rather disconcerting that she was obviously having problems controlling the scooter and they weren't paying much attention to her and her "driving abilities"...

My pet peeve in the stores are those kid car carts and the stores that have the little toy grocery carts for little kids to push around.....argghhhhh!!!!!

One winter I worked in the deli of a well know grocery store chain. A friend from church only had one arm, and I would always suggest (in front of his two little kids) that they get the "race car" cart...he would be cussing me under his breath as he pushed both of his kids around in that cart. 

We also had a lady that would get dropped off by the senior citizen bus daily, she would spend her entire DAY on one of the store's electic carts, and spend about six bucks shopping (if that)...if you did not pay attention to the lady, the next thing you would notice is her running into one of your displays, or accidently dragging a rack of bread with the wheel of the scooter around the store....

[vesta111]

I witnessed a shocking display of abuse at our local mall about 15 years ago that still makes me shake my head.

I had just ordered new glasses to be picked up the next day and Mom was getting her hair done so I had about a 90 minute wait as there were a few other woman waiting before her.

I wandered over to the pet store to check out the new puppy's and as I left the store I was almost run down by a lady in a wheel chair.

She was slouched down in the chair mouth wide open, scooting about using one foot on the floor.  She could not talk or perhaps she didn't understand me, it was then I noticed she had both arms tied to the chair with a seat belt harness on.
 
That little old lady could move out in that chair and and I watched as she maneuvered about not once hitting anything.   Back and forth she went from one  end of the mall to the other.

After about 30 minutes of this I spoke to this old man seated next to me, a mall walker, said so on his shirt, if he had seen her care giver.

Boy or boy did I get blasted from him.  He told me that woman was there every day of the week unaccompanied far as he knew.    I was told to mind my own business, and not to get involved.

 When Mom got out with a new look and hair, I pointed her out to Mom told her what I had seen and heard.   

Mom then told me that I should not worry, since she is there every day the Mall security must know about her and there was no way that she would be left alone, just because I didn't see her care giver did not mean they were not there.

Next day I went to pick up my glasses and saw a van pull up ourside the doors and a person wearing a nurse suite wheel her into the store and hop back in the van and drive away.  I thought they had gone to park the van, I hung out for close to an hour but they never came back.

What to do, perhaps Mom was right and not knowing anything about the woman or what arrangements her care giver had with the mall, if there was anything underhanded it would have been stopped months ago.

Should I put in a complaint, or just mind my own business.?   What about the ramifications to the patient herself.?

Won't hurt to just ask security about her.   So off I go to the security office manned with 20 year old  kids in nice shiny uniforms and flash lights.

There was a total of 15 screens only 4 lit up and no one watching those that were on. I asked the guards what they could tell me about that lady and they said as long as she is not mugged or steal anything it was not their concern.  I was asked if I had a problem with that lady, had she caused me any grief----then they just stood there confused at why I wanted to know about her and what was I up to.

I was not a happy camper when I got home, something was very wrong here.

I mustered up my courage and called the cops. To make a long story short, I had to deal for months with the police and social services, I told my story to 30 different people and as time went on forgot details and somehow gotten a couple false memories jumbled up in my head.

The only thing I know for sure is that her care giver was fired and she went into a nursing home.  I did get a call from a town cop and was told that that poor woman after investigation was dropped off every day before the stores opened and picked up at 6 pm that night---no food or bathroom for her all day.

No charges were placed against the care giver, Mall policy has not changed, and darn but I feel uncomfortable about changing that Lady's life-----for all I know she may have enjoyed being out around other people.

It is true that the road to Hell is paved on good intentions.

[RobJohnson]

SOB

What about ME?

I weigh 105 pounds and all though too young for SS need a cane due to problems with balance. Nerves have for some reason died in my leg, I have broken my ankle twice as the leg going one way and me the other.

I have a handicap tag for the rear view mirror, and use those scooters where ever they have them.

I don't use the cane at home, I can if needed reach out and grab a counter or chair if needed.

Drives me nuts that cane, but I have found that I can paint them to give a festive air, and decorate them for the season.  Another use for them that thank heavens I have not had to use is self defence. Those things can poke an eye out of a mugger, those with crooks can trip them or crack them in the nose.  Canes are made strong to hold all kinds of weight, a good jab to the sternum will keep you safe.

 Remember Bat Masterson series, he had a walking stick that could disarm a thug in a heart beat.

I can BEE-BOP into a store climb aboard a scooter and ride about and usually end up spending much more then I would if I was in Pain

So what is the difference between me, a skinny broad and someone 3 times my size.?

We both need help for medical problems that prevent us from living as others do. Some medical problems need medication that causes the patient to pack on the pounds.  

Do you really think that 400 pound man in a scooter wants to be there.?   Do you think people enjoy living their lives being so fat they cannot get into a shower stall or need 3 men and a boy to get them out of their tub.?

How about people with COPD that have never smoked a day in their life, or people that had asbestosis in their home or worked around it years ago.?

Have you ever had to shop while in a scooter or wheel chair.    I have and let me tell you, you become invisible to others, there is no eye contact, if you ask another shopper for help they get all uneasy and cannot get away fast enough.

One never knows when something will come out of the blue, a problem that that is not genetic or life style.

Tell me Rob, if you come down with something awful and know you may gain 200 pounds on life saving medication and live another 10 years, or not take the medication because you want to die able to fit into the casket in 2 years-----what do you choose.??

???? What are you talking about and why are you saying it to me???

Medication does not make you gain 200 lbs. The only thing that can make you gain 200 lbs is food & drink.