Having cerebral palsy does have some perks, such as jumping queues, accessible parking, free bus and train pass, fast track airport security regimes. I have taken full advantage of extras in the past. I have been made to feel guilty for using these perks. On nights out, if a bouncer at the door of a nightclub asked if I would like to jump the queue. There have been remarks thrown my way such as ‘he’s faking it, nothing wrong with you, get to the back of the queue,’ which admittedly are funny when you look back, but do you know what, from now, I’m going to make a vow to myself and accept every little perk or freebie that I get offered, and why not? Because I am special, I am entitled to a bit of luxury, I would love to have ‘normal’ legs and wait in the queue for a nightclub, but my legs are not ‘normal’.
The next time you think to yourself, ‘Hey, these disabled people always get the better end of the deal,’ think about the situation's health and safety aspects. If a big fight broke out in the queue of the nightclub I want to enter, with my disability, would I be able to defend myself? If the security or bouncer did not escort me to the safety of the ‘disabled or wheelchair access area’ at a packed concert, I could get crushed; if the airline staff did not get me safely into my seat on a plane sometime before take-off, the flight could get delayed for everyone boarding. Take a minute to think about all these little perks in place and ‘getting the better end of the deal,’ these are only small concessions, and they all ensure safety, not for just myself, the disabled person, but for people that are around me too.
Now, where is that free lifetime pass for Nando’s that I was given…………ONLY JOKING!!!
