Aside from going to a baseball game — which she had never done — it was an opportunity for Namine to learn a little about the weather. They even demonstrated how to make a cloud (yes really), which I thought was pretty cool.
Unfortunately, there was no handicap access any further than what you see there. They picked kids out of the crowd to participate in the quizzes; they threw out shirts for kids. Unfortunately, they didn’t go very far back. Due to lack of ramps, we couldn’t go down there.
After the weather lessons and quizzes were over, we had a little time to kill before the game started. I can’t think of a better way to kill some time than getting a snack. We had some coupons for $1 hot dogs, but we decided to save those for the afternoon.
It was a good thing we had some time before the game, and not just so we could have nachos. We had to walk literally all the way around the park. Here’s where we started from, on the first level.
Our seats were up in the second level, so first we had to find an elevator. There was a sign by the elevators with a handicap logo: “Please give priority to those with mobility equipment.” But I would find out later that some people, like the famed honey badger, just don’t care.
Anyway, when we finally arrived to our seats, here’s where we ended up.
Our seats were actually down the stairs a ways, but we weren’t getting there with a wheelchair. While Jessica went down to our seats to see how far it was, I waited with Namine.
I saw a stadium employee, so I waved him over. I asked him if it wasn’t possible to store Namine’s wheelchair somewhere safe. I was happy to carry Namine up and down the stairs, and it would be far from the first time I’ve had to do so. I just didn’t want the wheelchair to get lost or stolen.
The employee said he could store the wheelchair for us, that was no problem. But, he said, it was also fine to sit in the handicap accessible section at the top of the stairs. That suited us even better.
Even though it was a school field trip, we didn’t really see much of any other people from the RVA — with a few exceptions. I met a guy when I was in line to get hot dogs for the three of us. We had gotten to talking, and we realized that in describing our children’s school, we were both describing the RVA.
Namine’s teacher from last year stopped by to say hello, and the principal sat next to us during the game.
As for this being Namine’s first baseball game? She loved it. The Brewers scored a couple home runs, and each time they did, some fireworks were set off. The first time startled her, but the second time she thought it was great.
Namine’s favorite part of the baseball game, though, was not even in the game. Her favorite part was the Klement’s Racing Sausages.
When the game was over, getting out of the stadium was just a bit crowded. We expected that; we didn’t, however, expect people to be completely inconsiderate.
Remember the sign by the elevator, about giving priority to people in wheelchairs and walkers? People ignored that. We saw the elevator come and go three times, and each time it was packed with people, none of whom had walkers, canes, or wheelchairs.
I was willing to keep waiting — getting out of the parking lot would be just as crowded, so I saw no reason to be impatient — but Jessica was having none of it. When the elevator doors opened again, once more filled with people who did not need assistance walking, she approached the open doors. She told the people inside that the elevators were for people who could not use the stairs, gesturing to Namine.
No one responded. One man muttered something about sending the elevator back for us, and the elevator doors closed. This made Jessica even angrier. The next time the elevator doors opened, again full of able-bodied people, she left all pretense of politeness. She raised her voice, shaming people out of the elevator.
We waited for some other people in wheelchairs to get into the elevator, then Jessica and Namine got in. I took the escalator down. I thought it was pretty ridiculous that it took yelling and getting angry to get people to be considerate.
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