Bright Ideas

Years ago, when I lived in Billings, I’d walk to the bus stop downtown and get on the bus headed to Rimrock Mall. I just had to be careful not to buy more than I could carry.

Not many people were on the bus; just mentally and physically handicapped youngsters headed for their jobs at the handicapped workshop. There was plenty of room for me. Later I’d catch the bus headed back downtown, making sure not to miss the last bus.

We had a friend who didn’t own a car. A divorced mother of four with an ex-husband who only sporadically paid child support; she couldn’t yet afford the luxury. She rode the bus instead.

There must have been other people at the beginning and end of work days; I never rode then. But for people who didn’t have cars or families with two working members who shared a car, the bus provided public transport.

Ekalaka also has a bus, shared by people keeping medical appointments.

Over the last 25 years I have ridden in several wheelchairs. The first wheelchair lasted 16 years; I’ve gotten two in the last year, the latest with a sculpted back that matches mine. Each successive chair has gotten bigger, if not the footprint then the tray! And now my head needs to be so low, I can’t drive the chair into the van. On top of that, my wheelchair tie downs are in the wrong places, or the seatbelt is hard to reach.

The new wheelchairs have headrests that help hold up my head when I lean backwards and lie down. That’s right, I can lean all the way back, raise my feet and fall asleep for an hour or two. Healthy people will envy me.

But after my recent trip to Miles City, I have determined future trips will be made on the Carter Charter. The appointment is tentatively set for December 12, 10:15 a.m., continuing until 3:15 p.m. I hope the bus and passengers will wait for me.