‘They even called me a nuisance’

My sister’s grip on the wheelchair handles tightened as our neighbour uneasily smiled at me. I knew my neighbour’s smile was to remind me that I am different. My sister hurriedly albeit gently pushed me (and my wheelchair) towards the entrance of the building, away from a disabled mindset.

We then reached a building, a conspicuous example of architectural inaccessibility inconspicuous to people without disabilities. As she manoeuvred the wheelchair along an uneven and pothole-ridden pavement, the wheelchair came to a halt but the pedestrians behind us didn’t; they inconsiderately jolted us and almost knocked me off the pavement. We waited and reached the bus stop at our own pace. The bus stop was desolate by the time a low floor bus had arrived.

The bus hadn’t stopped close enough to the kerb and as my sister helped me get on board, I heard a commuter mutter, “Oh! What a nuisance! I hope that thing doesn’t make me late”, her reaction was bittersweet because I was acknowledged as an object of nuisance, but acknowledged nonetheless.

My sister wheeled me from the bus-stop to the examination centre. Prying eyes accosted me with their tactless questions, idle pity and patronisation but I only paid attention to the squeaking sound of the wheelchair and the moment it stopped, I looked up to see a flight of stairs. I closed my eyes and imagined myself nonchalantly walking up that flight of stairs.

My sister’s fingers gently gripped my shoulders in a tacit perception of my problem. I opened my eyes, with an unwavering voice my sister asked me, “Are you ready?” The world I knew had schools, theatres, restaurants that served over-priced food and places that had over-crowded buses but, the world I know now has only 4 white walls. The door to the world outside is locked by government and public apathy and discrimination. You hold the key. With awareness we can make demands, that will pass and implement effective laws that can make everything accessible to everyone. Deepak is a Class 12 student.