What Hiding???

Saturdays usually  are not my hair dressing salon going days. But last Saturday I went. Surprisingly I was the only customer at that time, meaning I would be done in no time. Good. I was in a hurry.

But shortly after, in came this lady who also was in a hurry, she said she needed to finish before dark as she does not drive at night. It was about 4.pm. I had observed how she “loooooked” at Zim who was on her wheelchair and was been distracted by one of the saloon assistants. She had given her one of these looks and was now making an unsuccessful attempt not to look at her. I needed to talk to her, so when she said that she does not drive at night, I jokingly said I could be her driver, that I needed extra income to take care of this my pretty young lady (gesturing to Ziim). she caught the joke and that broke the “ice”. To question; yes she is my daughter, she is eight. Wow, she is big (that’s her) She looks very well taken care. With feigned anger, me, what do you mean, don’t all mothers take care of their children? Haa madam, I know what I mean oo, many that have children like this don’t, in fact, the children often look unkempt and malnourished, that’s when you see them at all, They hide the children, you are trying by bring out your own….. bla bla bla…. I let her run her mouth. When she stooped, we talked. At the end we became friends.

Oftentimes I have heard people at different occasions, with their noses turned up, talk about how parents of children with disabilities hide their children from  the public, how they lock them up or abandon them in institutions.

And I ask; who is hiding from who???

Most parents do not consciously hide their children from the public,  not with the amount of knowledge and information we have these days.  It is our society who is is keeping them out!!!!  Did you ask why???

Try taking the BRT bus or any commercial bus with your child on a wheelchair. How would you even get to the bus stop with the child? Now who is it that does not want the child on the streets? The parents or those who construct the roads to keep them away or the transport authourity who does not take into consideration the existence of people who have one disability or the other.

I say it again, the society locks us out!!! The society it is who is hiding!!

Let’s see;

Here we are at the MM Airport, Yes there are lifts, but the lifts were out of order

 

Ziim waiting, while mummy went to find “help” to carry her to the 2nd floor.. This was in LUTH

At the Catholic Church of Ascension lagos

So now, who is hiding?? And what hiding????