Some Other Place Far and Away

 

David Anthony, a resident like me at a government

subsidized apartment complex in Denver, warned

me to never give up my car. Said, one day I may

need it to escape. I would have to have my wheels

in order to get somewhere.

David knew what it was like, for he himself was

trapped in life as a paraplegic confined to one of

those motorized wheelchairs. You may need to

escape, he repeatedly warned me. And he was right.

One day I did escape that place leaving poor David

behind. I moved on and managed to find a more suit-

able place where I maintained sufficiently for several

years.

As my arthritis progressed, and I became more unable

to get around, I had to eventually give up my car. I

needed to find a new place to live where I was able

to adjust to the limitations brought on by my disability.

As things are for me today, I have not been away from

my apartment and it’s walk-out patio for over a year.

My son comes once a week to do shopping for me. My

daughter makes a visit every two weeks or so to clean

my apartment.

Over time, I have become more restricted from doing

basic physical activities. I can no loner get my mail. The

mail box is halfway across a large parking lot which is

physically unreachable for me. And likewise, taking my

trash out to the communal receptacle has become an

impossibility.

I now know first-hand what David was talking about

several years ago with the ability to leave when need

be. I’ve had to give up so much. No car, unable to even

get up, get out and walk away. These days, my music,

my reading and my writing, Facebook and the Internet

are my only connections with outside realities.

At least I no longer have the need to scrape ice off my

windshield or negotiate snowy and icy roads and walk-

ways. Although, these days if I’m not careful, I can still

fall flat on my ass inside my apartment being frozen

right here in place.

Still I frequently reminisce, missing my ability to either

crash and burn outside, or escaping to some other place

far and away.

                              -30-

Chris Hanch 11-9-2020