Wheelchair Water World

  When I was fourteen, my choir class took a trip to San Antonio for our spring concert. I had to take my manual wheelchair, because the electric one was too heavy for my teacher to handle and we couldn't get a handicapped bus in time. After the concert our teacher took us to an amusement park which was next to a water park. My friends and I roamed the park and I watched as they rode the rides. I was too short to ride anything, so I shopped for souviners instead.

"Okay girls, we have been given free passes to water world," my teacher announced, while we were eating lunch.

  Everyone cheered, except me. I was tired from pushing myself around the amusement park and just about ready to call it a day. However, I didn't say anything, but I was fortunate enough to have a very thoughtful teacher.

"I know you've got to be tired," my teacher said to me as we finished up our lunch.

"It's okay," I said. "I may just find a wade pool and stay there."

  I wanted to go on the water slides, but I didn't feel like pushing myself much further around the park. My teacher got up and went to the ticket booths. A few minutes later she called to me and three of my friends who had taken turns pushing me when I got tired.

"Girls, the director is sending over a couple of life guards to give you a ride around the park, that way you don't have to keep pushing your wheelchair all day," the teacher said to us.

"Awesome!" we cheered.

  A few moments later, a trolly arrived and I could hear my friends take a collective gasp as two really gorgeous guys stepped down and stood in front of us.

"Hello ladies," The one with red shorts and shoulder length brown hair said.

"Looks like you get the royal treatment, hot escorts and all," one of my classmates said loud enough for the guys to hear. I pretended like I didn't.

"Let's get you girls loaded up, so you can all get wet," the other, a blonde with sun glasses that never came off, said with a smirk.

  The guys were cute, but there was something about them that felt off to me. Politely, though, I accepted their assistance and they loaded my wheelchair onto the trolly. They drove us to two parts of the park. I rode on three water slides, one was the second largest in the park. As we rode with our guides to the other side of the park, I sat on the trolly seat so as not to get my wheelchair wet. My friends were shamelessly flirting with the guys, and even though they were obviously way too old for us, they flirted back.

"Wanna sit in my lap?" The blonde asked me. "I promise I won't let you fall off."

"Um, no, I don't - thanks," I said, trying not to sound rude, but feeling really uncomfortable.

  My friends however, seemed totally at ease. I tried not to listen to their coy chatter, but then...

"We go on break in ten minutes if you girls just want to come hang out with us. There is a mexican joint at the end of the park that doesn't card -- not that you look young," the blonde guy grinned at me, "We could drink some margaritas -- we'll have you back in half an hour."

"NO," I shrieked at them, and everyone jumped in surprise.

"Oh, come on," one of my friends pleaded, "Let's have some fun."

  I think that being in a wheelchair and not having control over a lot of aspects in my life has pushed me to be as stubborn and steadfast over the decisions I do get to make. Therefore peer pressure was never a big issue for me.

"We don't know these guys and haven't you watched enough Lifetime television to know how something like this plays out?" I scolded my friends, not caring if the guys heard me.

"But this isn't TV babe, and we work here. Come on, I promise we're not bad guys," blonde guy tried to make his tone sincere, but he was almost laughing. I glared at him and his friend grinned.

"I think that's a, 'no' dude," he chuckled.

"You don't have to come. We can let you stay and..." one of my friends started, but I cut her off.

"NONE of us are going with them and if any of you try to sneak off, I am telling," I shouted at my friends, then rounding on the two guys, "And I swear to God I'll fight you if you try to abduct us. In fact, we are getting off NOW." I insisted. I started to go into panic mode.

"Uh, we don't know how to get out of the park and it's gonna be a long walk," my friend whispered to me.

"Well I don't trust these guys to take us back, and I plan on reporting them when we return," I fumed.

"Look, we're sorry. We really were just trying to be friendly. It was inappropriate," blonde guy finally seemed to realize that I wasn't joking around, and both of them got serious. "We'll give you girls a ride back," they said.

  I felt a sudden guilt about the situation. Had I misunderstood? I wasn't used to being flirted with, but I always trust my instincts, because so far they hadn't let me down. I accepted their offer for a ride back. When we got to the front, the guys let us off and helped me back into my chair.

"I really am sorry," the blonde guy said. "I didn't mean to scare you," he turned to my friends. "You've got a really good friend here. Listen to her," he said.

"Thanks for bringing us back," I said to him.

"Anytime, your highness," He reached his hand out and I shook it.