Powerlines 2

Powerlines and Moon.

People can be very considerate when you're obviously disabled. If they're not paying attention, they can be absolute asses, of course - there's very little more annoying when you're on crutches than some idiot walking into you and knocking you off balance. It's not like I'm hard to see, and falling over hurts! Most people, however, are very kind. From moving legs so I don't trip over them, or holding doors for me to go through (heavy doors are a pain on crutches). Then there's the people who were nearby while I took this shot. I was lying in the gutter on a very hot afternoon, carefully behind a parked car so no-one ran me over. One guy complimented me on the shot, while someone else called out from the house across the way to make sure I could get back up without help. A passing car even stopped to check that I was ok - they obviously missed the camera and figured I'd fallen.

I'm not sure how much of it is the fact that I'm female. A male friend of mine on a walking stick has the opposite experience - no-one offers him seats or gets out of his way. He's even been knocked down a few times recently, and the ones responsible have done nothing to help. I suspect it's more my crutches, though. I'm very obviously disabled these days, and watching someone hop awkwardly towards you is a very simple visual cue.

Whatever it is, it's a nice feeling of community, when the people you've never met stop to make sure you're ok 'cause you're lying in the gutter, photographing the stars.