Wednesday, January 19, 2011

"We've already got enough stickers."

Need I relate the routine again?
HaMashbir. Entrance.
Security guard. (this time a woman)
You can't come in with a dog.
You have to let me in, it's the law.
I'm going to check.
Sure, go check. But I'm going in. Kadima, Suki. Up the escelator, and back up to the manager's office.
The manager, a woman decked out in so much clanking jewelry that she made as much noise as my collar with all its tags, finished talking on the phone and turned to us.
Bracha explained the problem. Also that it was the third time that a guard had turned us out and that evidently no one had taken the trouble to consistently inform the constantly changing security guards of the law. (As if Bracha really thourhg they would.)
"I'll be happy to come back tomorrow with a sticker that we can put on the door saying that guide dogs for the blind are allowed in the store. That would save me having to go through the unpleasantness of being told I can't come in, and would save you having to constantly inform changing security guards," offered Bracha politely.
"Oh, no!" the manager objected. "Goodness, we already have too many stickers."
She promised to inform the guard.
"Stay calm," I said to Bracha. There is no point in losing our temper. We need to get some more aggressive people onto this together with us.
And seemingly we have. AFter a long trip past Acco Bracha sat down with R. from "ISrael Accessability ASsociation. Now this woman isn't polite at all to security guards. She was waiting in the doorway of Aroma in Acco, but the guard at the entrance to the mall was not any part of Aroma's usual hospitality.
"You can't bring a dog in here."
Bracha answered him that she could. And suddenly there was a new voice. R. let him have it. "You be quiet and don't interfere! Guide dogs are allowed in here."
We marched in past him and Bracha and R. shook hands and sat down. The guard went on jabbering about well, the dog could come in, but it mustn't run around loose.
Run around loose? For goodness sakes, why does he think I came here with Bracha?
"Don't be ridiculous," countered R. "It's a guide dog. It stays with her all the time." And to Bracha and me: "What ignorance!"
Then I lay down under the table and listened to Bracha and R. talk about how they were going to cooperate and make sure that the authorities are informed every time we are told we can't go in somewhere. And I have a feeling that there is going to be some action soon. Ilana, the nice woman from the store in the alley whose son has a guide dog, too, told Bracha on no uncertain terms that if we were told we can't go into Hamashbir again we should go to the police. Not letting a guide dog into a store is an offense.

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