Raves, Rants & Roses

RESPONSE: I do not walk with a cane or crutches and I do not have a prosthetic device. I do not use a wheelchair. What I do have is a handicapped parking permit.

What I also have is a hip replacement, and more importantly, back pain so severe that when I stand for more than two or three minutes, I at times actually feel nauseated, a condition with which I have been plagued since I was 10 years old.

If Ms. Wilburn would trade places with me for even one trip to the grocery store, she would be most appreciative of doctors who are willing to see beyond the exact wording of the law to the sincere needs of their patients.

These conditions are not visible when I step out of my car, which is parked in a handicapped space, so she might even learn that judgments based on appearances are more often than not incorrect.

This is not a "poor me" letter to elicit sympathy. I do not need and certainly do not want anyone's sympathy. I do need my handicapped permit in spite of Ms. Wilburn's indignation and a law that reflects a distinct lack of insight on the part of the lawmakers.

L. Tucker
Bullard