"No, You Stay"

I was waiting for a bus in Boston last week and I propped my legs up on the bench next to my boyfriend. Those of you that know me know that I do this quite often when a chance presents itself both for comfort and to help with circulation in my legs. Sitting in a wheelchair for 8-10 hours a day can be murder on circulation in your legs.

Anyways we're hanging out talking and goofing off when an older woman approaches with a cart. Both of us not wanting to be in the way each offer the space on the bench we are taking up but she says she's fine and so we stay where we are. Maybe 10 to 15 minutes go by and suddenly this woman wants to sit down on the very edge of the bench dangerously close to my legs. I immediately sit myself upright and tell her that she can have the whole spot (both to be polite and I really didn't want her that close to me). As I'm backing away to give her more space to sit down she grabs my left leg firmly (big No No with my condition) and says "No, you stay". My first instinct was to punch her and curse her out for being so rude and ignorant not to mention possibly hurting me but somehow I manage to keep my composure and politely but firmly say "Please let go of my leg". She does and I immediately retreat to the opposite side of my boyfriend and we exchange a silent "What the Hell" look.

I have never had anyone do anything so rude to me before. Sure people touch my arm or pat the top of my head and say "your so cute" or "your such an inspiration, I'll be praying for you" but this one topped the cake. After the shock wore off I felt my leg and flexed my ankle to make sure everything was OK and thankfully other than the emotional scar of feeling violated I was fine.

When I was looking threw our photos later that day I realized that while I was taking a silly pic of my boyfriend looking something up on his phone I happened to get "Leg grabber" as I fondly call her in the background. I debated posting the pic along with this article but felt it would be unethical. While I am still furious over the whole altercation I feel posting her pic would be stooping to her rude careless behavior and I'm not like that...even when I should be. However I can truly say I'll never forget the face of the rudest woman I've ever encountered.