My recent salty story that some of you requested, but first some background information.
Recently I started using a blood pressure cuff to start double-checking Horizon’s alerts. My first one unfortunately hurt to use (my arms are too big I think?) so I went to CVS to buy myself one that would work better for my needs. While literally looking at the bp monitors Horizon gave an alert (to my bp) so I had to sit down. Horizon crawled into my lap, as trained, and fell asleep. He’d wake up enough to re-check about once a minute and re-alert, but otherwise was an unmovable weight. After maybe eight minutes I was pretty bored and started getting restless. As is the poodle way, Horizon got upset that I was thinking of moving without his blatant permission. Each time I shifted my weight he’d stand, stretch over me, step off, give me a dirty look, alert, and rush back into my lap where he would promptly fall back asleep. (He was super exhausted that day because we had just gone on a long walk.) After another 5 minutes, without a way to double check Horizon’s alert, I start to doubt him. I look at my hands, see they are not shaking much at all, and decide that I’m going to stand up anyways. So I shift my weight, let Horizon step off, and quickly put my knees up so he has nowhere to crawl back onto. Upset, Horizon alerts, and watches as I prepare to stand. I’m having difficulties, but I’m determined to get up.
1...2...3... and I’m!!!... up?—nope, nope. Definitely back down. Hopeful, I think ‘maybe it was the way I tried to stand?’ I’m preparing to try standing again when Horizon alerts, swings 180 into a heel, and leans his whole body against my “sleeping” leg as I finally stand. He waits for me to grab his pull strap (no leash available) and starts to add slight tension as he has been trained. After grabbing the bp monitor I had decided on buying we head to the checkout counter, with me giving directional cues since Horizon is thinking that his job is to find the exit instead.
It’s on the way to the checkout line that we see this woman wondering the store, probably in her 50’s or 60’s. She clutches her bag when she sees Horizon, then her heart, and begins to scream, while pointing at us, “A dog? IT’S A DOG! MOM! MOM! IT’S A...” brief pause as she reads his chest strap “SeRvIcE dOG!!!1!1!1!” I would have been content to ignore her had she shown any sign of being mentally handicapped, but I really think she was just a rude, nurotypical individual.
Anyways it is at this point I’m starting to see Horizon gear up for another alert and I’m wondering if I’m actually going to faint, in front of this bafoon and the automatic doors. Then she says... “WAIT RIGHT THERE!” And gives the biggest, most disappointed “AHHHHWWW!” when I of course DON’T FUCKING LISTEN TO A STRANGER and tell Horizon to go left into the checkout line. At this point I’m staring straight ahead, really upset that everyone in the store has heard this woman, decided come out of the isles, and some proceed to think that it’s a good fuckin’ idea to lean over the lane divider to STARE at Horizon and I. Like I’m here to preform and am taking requests. I’m pretty sure my expression scared a few away at this point, but this woman carts her elderly mother, who can hardly walk, over to point out Horizon’s tail end. (Oh gee, what a view. You can really tell he sure is a dog from that side.) Thankfully the mother’s response was effectively “Okay, AND???” before turning away.
But after I check out, the whole time gripping the counter to remain standing up, guess who’s waiting for us at the only exit? *finger guns* But there she is, fingers reaching out longingly, soft expression, ready to be warmly welcomed into the family it appears. I take Horizon’s pull strap and, as trained, he takes the lead. Her eyes start to close like a sleepy animal, fluttering. Her smile comically stretches out her face, going bigger and longer for each step we take in her direction.
And we blow past her without a second thought.
As she realizes she should have hit fluff by now her expression changes to complete shock, so hurt that we would ignore her! I, on the other hand, was (and am! still!) ready to throw her in my trunk, specifically under my wheelchair, and drive down any California public road.
It is beyond infuriating when someone thinks that they have a right to my medical equipment like this. So, protip: Ignore service animals! They are in public for their handlers, not for party tricks and attention!
