The repair

I had to call the wheelchair repair service on Wednesday. While were out buying some air tickets for our French holiday – yes it’s going ahead – the Fox noticed a part was missing on my wheelchair. It is just a cap protecting a nut & bolt from the weather. The Fox hunted through the boot in case it had come off there, but there were no signs of it. It’s probably still in Italy or in the plane’s hold.

So I rang, late I admit, about 5ish. The person on the phone would let the appropriate people know & would ring the next day. I assured them that that was okay as it wasn’t a vital part, though I was anxious about some of the funny noises my chair is making, so I wasn’t entirely sure how safe the chair was especially as I could see some rust.

Sure enough about 11am the phone went. They would be round on Friday. I asked what time. Oh some time between 12 noon & 3pm.

I can’t help wondering what I would do if I was working as the government seems so determined all disabled people should do, or if I was entirely dependent on my wheelchair for any mobility. Not only would I have been without a chair for over 40 hours, I am then expected to be free to take the day off work to wait for the man to arrive. I hope the service would have been speedier if the job needing doing was more urgent but I wouldn’t guarantee it.

Anyhow, Friday lunchtime the man arrives. He’s got a spare cap. However when he checks the noise, he decides I need two new castors. He’ll put an order in for them. They should arrive next week & he’ll be round to do the repair.

I ask him if they would ring first. He looked surprised. I commented that the whole point of having a wheelchair was to give me some mobility, so I may well be out unless I know he is coming. He agrees to ring, if he remembers. He admits he has a poor memory. I suspect he has no intention of ringing.

I know, too, I have already got to go to see the GP, the dentist, do a big food shop, all during next week. There are a few other things I would like to do if I have chance, like visit a garden centre to get some more bark mulch for the bog garden. And if this sun persists we may fancy just going out for the sheer joy of it, or for that matter be in the garden where it’s difficult to hear the doorbell ring.

We’ll see.