Tales from the Utopia: Part One

Edgar found herself stuck in the snow. Her wheelchair could climb steps and travel for over an hour at speeds of up to 40 kilometers per hour, but it could not handle a quarter meter of Buffalo’s finest powdery snow.

She had been out celebrating her 21st birthday with friends. They had been rolling and jogging all along the Niagara River, marveling at the powerful currents, before settling at a bar on Allen Street to watch the Bills play the Packers in the Super Bowl. 

Edgar had gone out by herself to enjoy the wintry air when she found her wheels spinning in the deep snow. She looked up, there towering above her were three large men, who had stumbled out of the bar across the street. “What do we have here?” said the first man. Edgar managed to get out the words, “Excuse me, I seem to have gotten stuck.” The first man stretched out his giant arms, pulling his friends with him as he took a gentle step back. “Let me give you a little space, please lend us patience, we are a little tipsy tonight.” The second man chimed in, “How can we help?” Edgar pulled a 2 meter cord from her chair, threaded it through the arm rests, and tied a bowline hitch. “Would you be so kind as to give me a tow?” The three men steadied themselves against each other and gave a firm but calm tug on the cord. Edgar’s chair moved through the snow like a sleigh, and soon she was on firm ground again. “Thank you so much! How can I express my gratitude to you?” “We are all in this together,” said the third man, “You can thank us by having a most lovely evening.” And with that, the three men continued their evening stumble down Allen Street, perhaps looking for another bar showing the Bills.

Edgar headed back to the bar with her friends, filled with even greater excitement for her 21st year. Maybe this will be the year that the community clears the snow that obstructs our differently-abled neighbors just going about their lives.