Hi, James!  Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:

JB>  They're just smart enough to know you know the
JB>  shortcuts. 

AH>  Phooey!  I was hoping they'd noticed other
AH>  attributes too....  ;-)))

JB>  L!!! You have many attributes to which I can
JB>  attest to.


          Yes, I also know the location of various benches & large
rocks & low- lying walls & where one can sit for awhile... [grin]. 
To some folks a cane may indicate you have something in common with them,
while to other folks it may be a turnoff.  I'll have more to say about that
later.  Meanwhile, thanks....  :-)



JB>  I saw two hard-hat wearers outside, that didn't have
JB>  a speck of dust on them. I pointed to the stick, and
JB>  voiced my complaint about the distance I had to travel
JB>  to get my milk, where the business-casual, paused his
JB>  conversation with his contractor-general to laugh, and
JB>  say "It's all a part of a plan."


          Sure.  The idea is to force the customers to walk past a whole
lot of other stuff to get to what they came for, in case they might add
something else on impulse!  We have a large chain store in our
neighbourhood like that.  While its name seems to mean it's a drugstore,
the pharmacy is in a discreetly hidden corner at the back.  Go straight
ahead through seasonal merchandise, turn right
... continue on past the groceries & the baby needs... then hang a left
between the vitamins & the weight loss products.  Or make a hard right
past the candy & pop, turn left at cosmetics & continue straight on
through personal care to the desk behind vitamins.  All of their stores are
laid out the same way... (sigh).



JB>  "Next time I need milk, I'm going to call you to go
JB>  fetch it."

JB>  I think they both realized it wasn't that funny at
JB>  that point.


          Yes, I find myself doing a lot of consciousness-raising as well. 
One of my standard lines is "Will you move [surplus furniture you've
stashed in the hallway between here & the washroom]... or shall I do
it?"  I'm sure they won't like what I'd choose to do with the stuff,
and they usually recognize that!  In most cases they're willing to help
when they understand the problem.  They just haven't thought things
through.  Or the person who designed the building didn't allow enough
storage space or whatever & they're caught in the middle.  You may find
as I do that you often have to be quite direct about such matters....  :-)



JB>  Just because they have one more handicapped stall in
JB>  their parking lot than is mandated, they think they
JB>  are the best citizens to walk the earth?


          Well, it's a start.  The number of mandated spaces is only about
half the number which seems to be required... Dallas checked out the facts
& figures recently, so I know this isn't just a figment of my
imagination.  They may have a lot to learn as yet.  But there's an
indication they may be educable....  :-)



JB>  A) I broached the subject as a good humoured yuck.


          There's many a true word spoken in jest, and like you I prefer
not to haul out the heavy artillery unless it's really necessary.  :-)



JB>  B) I asked how dare they laugh.


          I find the disapproving stare useful in some cases too....  ;-)



JB>  C) Good thing I don't get to "C" too often.


          Uh-huh.  I've torn a few strips off people I barely knew &
found they actually respected me for it... but in general, I wouldn't
recommend that!  You may have to shake others up in order to get their
attention.  At the same time, however, people tend to learn better if
they're not feeling threatened....  :-)




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+