By Betty King

Well, I'm not a lot of the things I use to be, but I'm sure a lot of things I didn't use to be. some of those things are good, some bad, some just are what they are, different. 

Yeah, I use to be skinny; now I'm fat. I use to be young; now I'm old. I use to be a brunette; now I'm blond, to cover the gray. I use to be full of energy; now I'm lacking in that respect. I use to walk; now I use a three wheel motorized scooter. Like they say nothing ever stays the same.

MS has become apart of whom I am; not who I am, mind you, just a part. Having lived with the culprit for over half of my life I'm getting use to the adversities presented to me. I have also learned that laughter can go a long way in dealing with hardships and difficulties. It seems as if my life is becoming quite a comic routine!

The other day my daughter came by to get me; since driving is one of the things I don't do anymore. Any way she came to get me and since she had no lift in her SUV it was determined I would take my wheelchair instead of my motorized scooter. That wasn't the problem. The problem was her vehicle.

Now, we had recently moved into the neighborhood and had not really got acquainted with our neighbors. Needless to say of all days; the neighbors across the street where out in the front of their house visiting with company. They are a young couple with two little girls. And I am an old lady. I don't feel like an old lady; but that's beside the point. To a young couple, I'm an old lady. Well, really to be truthful, a fat old lady.

My daughter has an Eddie Bauer, Ford Expedition; whatever that is. It looks like a green tank, when you're an old lady; especially, when you're an old lady in a wheelchair. She pushed me up next to that monster and I eyeballed it and knew that this was going to be one gigantic challenge. "Now Ronda, this is not going to be easy," I commented.

"We can do it," she said.

"Oh sure," I think to myself; what is this we stuff.

"Just put your foot up here, and get a hold of that."

"Oh yeah; sure!" 

"Come on, I'll help you," she assures me.

She takes my foot and places it on the running board or whatever in the world they call them things these days -- that's what they called them in my day. 

"Now get a hold of that strap up there Mom and pull."

This is where I begin to snicker and my foot slips off whatever that dang thing is my foot 'was' on. She also lets out a giggle behind me and we start all over again. Now my daughter is a petit little thing and I am, well -- old. We get my foot up on that thing again, I grab hold and I holler, "Shove!" She gives me a nudge and I holler again, "I said SHOVE!" She started laughing and down I came! By this time we are both laughing and attracting quite a scene. "Now Ronda you have to put your shoulder to me and SHOVE hard, like your dad does," I say between my laughter and her giggles. "Don't be afraid to push hard."

Now I have plenty of padding, it's not like she was going to hurt herself on my bones or anything. A big part of my body is numb anyway so it wasn't like I could feel her bouncing off my blubber either. So we began again.

"I don't want to hurt you Mom," she giggles.

"Don't worry your not going to hurt me, your dad does it all the time," I assure her. My comments don't bring any sympathy, just more giggles. As we start again she gets serious and so do I, as I become aware that I am making quite an impression on our neighbors.

"NOW SHOVE," I scream! 

"HEAVE HO, She shouts!

We both break out in hysterical laughter as the steering wheel gets acquainted with my face, leaving my feet and legs sticking out the door. I'm prone on the front seat, we both are hysterical and the neighbors are getting free entertainment. By this time my face is in excruciating pain, not from the steering wheel but from the muscles being strained from so much laughter. Ronda helps me and I finally get pushed, pulled and tucked into my seat and we drive away leaving my neighbors wondering about the circus act that has moved in across the street.

Yeah, things have changed, I've changed; nothing ever stays the same, not even circus acts. I hope my neighbors are prepared, because I've become a three ringer!

Betty King, Copyright 2002
baking2@charter.net

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