THE goodwill in Bishop Michael Curry’s sermon on Saturday hasn’t reached all the good people of Edinburgh. I have severe ME/CFS and have difficulty walking. The day after the wedding I had to get to a postbox, and walked v slowly (and unsteadily, I admit) to Tollcross. I stopped beside the postbox to get the letter out of my bag. Suddenly a woman pushed past between me and the postbox, saying in an irritated voice, “Excuse me, please” (there was plenty of room on the left-hand side).
As she walked off I asked her why she had said, “Excuse me”, and she said, “Well, you were weaving from side to side”, with a scornful expression on her face. I replied, “Yes, and that’s why I use a stick” (sometimes two). She paid no attention and I realised that she had probably assumed I was drunk. She walked off to continue her busy day.
Disabled people do their best to lead “ordinary” lives without inhibiting others. We are not usually drunk – we just ask a little consideration. Most of the public are very courteous. Thank you, in advance, for your understanding.
Veronica Gordon Smith
Edinburgh
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