By: Kelsey Mauine Brickl
In late July 2023, when the photo above was taken, I had only been a full-time wheelchair user for a year, and I was still living in the suburbs of Chicago. I was on a solo trip to New York City in the folding travel electric chair my disabilities still permitted me to use at the time, headed down a sidewalk on Fifth Avenue on my way to dinner at Le Pavillon, when I encountered that most Nouveau-Manhattan of barriers: The Viral Line.
Yes, it was a line stretching a full city block. What for, you may wonder? Well, it turned out, I discerned after asking over the sounds of bus brakes and honking, that people had queued for admission to a rapper’s release of something. I didn’t catch the guy’s name, or what he was releasing.
What I really cared about was that the wide crowd on the sidewalk was blocking my path in my wheelchair. Angry, I turned around and went all the way back to the corner to the dropped curb and onto the street. But then a yellow cab laid on its horn and swerved quickly around me.
Then I spotted them. The boys in blue! The NYPD. (Cue the Law and Order intro.)
They, too, seemed to have noticed the kerfuffle blocking the sidewalk and were getting out of their patrol car. But I only cared about not getting hit by a bus. So I tossed my suburban stay-at-home mom self on the pavement and went full Elaine Benes.
“HEY!” I yelled, realizing immediately that my tone was slightly less respectful than its usual Midwestern self. One of the police officers turned. I gestured toward the crowded sidewalk, toward the cars, toward myself. “I’m gonna get killed here! Can you guys help me?”
“Oh! Yes. Sorry, ma’am.” He came walking toward me. And he helped! He walked me all the way up Fifth Avenue to Grand Central.
I thanked him. Several times. I think I tried to tip him. I also learned a few things that day. People in wheelchairs have rights and should assert them. Not everyone is willing to do the right thing, and lots of people are selfish. Other people are very willing to help and are desperate to do their jobs.
And New York City is the greatest city in the world.
(Image taken by the author July 31 on E 45th St New York, NY)