Little Person galloping through the challenges of life on her horses
A inspiring Little Person galloping through the challenges of life with her horses
Saturday, January 22, 2022
The Fog...
Friday, January 21, 2022
The Situation...
We have all surely had these moments in our lives at one time or another and then if we haven't we must not be opening our mouths or signing with our hands very much.π
As the show must always go on even if the Scene Designer gets thrown into a hospital for a unexpected long time, the theatre I would be working for very understandably needed to hire a replacement to finish the season. Then after I recovered from whatever surgery and long recovery, I had no choice but to find temporary work which was never a problem. During those intervals I have helped veterans obtain their benefits, made signs for small businesses, did framing, worked for (in the offices of) horse farms or equine veterinarians, and even worked for a architectural firm painting what a building would look like to give clients a visual rendering beyond the hard to visualize plans staring at them.π
So this particular open-mouth-insert-foot event happened when I was working at the architectural firm.
The somewhat small firm was owned by a very dear husband and wife team employing approximately twenty-five men and two women, aside from the owners who were not there often.
One day out of the blue the owners suddenly brought in a new Marketing Manager and wouldn't you know it was their daughter in-law. In the first place we didn't even have a Marketing Manager position to begin with.
Unfortunately you see, Ms. Donna brought along with her a problem which immediately began affecting us. For dear Ms. Donna had a body odor issue. An intense one. While the rest of us dressed comfortably, aside from me who dressed like a hippie, Ms. Donna who was also extremely haughty, dressed quite impeccably. She wore expensive business suits with matching high heels. And she constantly worried about her appearance.
Something drastic had to be done. Giving her perfume and fancy soaps on her birthday didn't work. So all the guys, Miss Bailee, and I met after work one evening. Right away the guys felt either Miss Bailee or I had to take this task on because we were of course women you see.
"Adelaide, we think you should be the one."
"ME?!! Why ME?!!"
"Because you're so cute and the owners really like you. Besides you have something in common with her."π«
"I don't have A THING in common with her!"π
"You're near the same age, and she nearly pees her pants laughing like the rest of us when you tell your funny horse, dwarf, or theatre stories! She never even smiles at any of us."π±
"So please do it for all of us, Adelaide! PLEASE?!! We'll EVEN buy you a whole month's worth of horse feed if you do this! PUH-LEEZE?!!"
They got me on the horse feed.π
As soon as there was no chance of rain in the forecast so we could be outdoors for my sake, I reluctantly asked if Ms. Donna would have lunch with me at the park.
"Sure. But I'll drive myself if you don't mind and you must drive yourself!"
"No, I don't mind! Not at all!"π€£
At the park as we were nearly done eating with
"No, why? Are YOU having a problem with body odor, Adelaide?" [Sometimes people are terribly slow about grasping what one is saying no matter how clearly one expresses it]π
"HELL NO!!! I uh...ahem...mean NO. But didn't ANYone ever express to you the fact YOU have a unpleasant smell?"π
"Not exactly. I never worked any place for very long. I wear the best most expensive clothing yet people don't like me for some reason."π€ͺ
"Uh, what do you mean by, 'Not exactly?'"π
"Okay! So I've been told I have body odor, can you believe that?!! How rude people are! After all I take my clothes to the cleaners each week and I bathe [once] every week too, so how could I possibly smell?!!"π₯
"Ms. Donna, something is not working and there is no other way to try to put this. You really smell. And you smell downright awful. You must be a very lovely person but it is so difficult to be around you no one can find this out. Miss Bailee is getting calls from those you visit to promote the firm begging to please not have you ever return."π±
"How dare you talk to me this way! I don't believe you!"
"Ms. Donna, I'm trying to tell you in the nicest way possible you flat out stink to high heaven. Worse than cow manure. Perhaps dog shit. Even rotten eggs. Probably not as bad as a skunk though..."
"I've never been so insulted, you...you..."
"Midget? You've got to admit..."
"I'm calling my in-laws!"
"...at least I'm not a stinking midget!"π₯
Not surprisingly I received a call the next day from the owners who wanted me to come visit their home right away.π± As I left, my comrades in arms were preparing to revolt on my behalf.π
I went to the mansion overlooking the river where the owners lived.
When they told me they were absolutely thrilled with me, I was speechless.π€£
The gist of it all was first, their beloved son blinded by love was immune to his wife's odor issue. It was destroying the family. They didn't know what to do. Besides the woman couldn't hold any jobs due to this "problem."
But the owners had explicit faith in their employees.π
As they listened to the very excellent "tact" I used to make Ms. Donna aware of the situation the owners couldn't stop laughing. Gave me a huge raise! Said they were going to give the rest one too.π
"Uh, may I please make a phone call right away? I need to stop a revolt from happening!"π€£
The owners had a long talk with their son and daughter in-law who finally acknowledged she had a problem. Somehow it all got resolved, she got a brand new job and the last I heard was still working at the same place after many years odor free.π
Amazing. And all because of the very excellent tact I used...ππ₯
Thursday, January 20, 2022
In The Distance...
The chaos of the beginnings and ends of our most shattering challenges beneath the tapestry of our lives is what makes living the tapestry of our lives into such beautiful creations above the chaos...in the distance, until at last our tapestry is complete. And that end is just the beginning.
Wednesday, January 19, 2022
Mustang Show Ring...
My best friends Lacy, her brother Rob, and their horses, Vandalla, and Havoc always came too. The three of us lived with the sadness and violence of alcoholism in our families. And we knew how lucky we three were to have our horses who were everything to us. Since we didn't have horse vans we three rode our horses a few miles to the show ring each week as the summer sun went down. We also would bring bags to carry the trophies we hoped to win, and often had one or more to carry home along with many ribbons too.
Out of concern for us though, after the show when it was very dark either the Lockey's or other participants would follow behind us till we safely got to our homes. We were always so touched they cared that much to do this for us! They had to wonder where our parents were but I suspect they had a feeling our home lives were not easy. And why our horses meant so much to each of us. To pay the fifty cent entry fee for each class we showed in, we each babysat and did odd jobs besides paying the upkeep for our horses.
Since I never used a saddle I was somewhat limited on the amount of classes I could participate in, but there were several I could. Usually it was the Halter Class, Bareback Class, Pony Flat Race, Egg Race. The Egg Race was keeping an egg on a spoon as one galloped around the ring. The last rider with an egg on the spoon was the winner. A few times I was actually the last one who still managed to keep the egg on my spoon!
The rest of the classes were Western Classes, calf roping, and Barrel Races.
Never once in the three years we showed there was I ever called midget or ridiculed in any way, so The Mustang Show Ring is a bright chapter of my childhood I hold dearly. I still have some of the trophies and ribbons too.
After the third year we showed there the Lockeys had to retire due to health issues and everyone kind of just scattered away in the dusty wind.
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Those Labels...
Many years ago I spoke to a very nice lady (on the phone at least) about an apartment she had for rent. She was quite impressed with my job and the fact I also owned a horse. Was keen to meet and show the apartment to me. When she opened the door to have Adelaide standing before her, she immediately changed. SCREAMED at me, "What gives YOU the right to rent my apartment, you MIDGET!!!" And slammed the door in my face.π
When I was sought after as a speaker, it was because I was known as being a powerful speaker who inspired. The Little Person negativity Label didn't even exist in people's minds.
Obviously I am physically a Little Person, there is no denying this. However, it's when "Little Person" morphs into societies' Label with all its negativity, that IT becomes dehumanizing. And THIS is the problem with what The Labelsπ· are. The humanity with respect is lost. That is, aside from the part of society who is NOT concerned with these insidious Labels.
Unless The Labels π· ever change, it is up to us who are Labelled to become strong in self π respect, to love and to believe in ourselves. And to also be darn sure we have those around us who embrace us free of Labels.
One thing for certain though, in my whole life, I have never ever had ANYONE say anything negative about me when I am on or with one of my horses! No Labels there!
Monday, January 17, 2022
Alive...In A Hearse...
Two of my dearest best friends from Theatre were John and partner Martin. We had a large circle of both gay and straight friends who all did a lot together.
That morning John called me.
"But what if I have other..."
It didn't occur to me as to HOW those two knew I hadn't made any plans yet or why I HAD to wear black!π€£
So was I.π
The hearse had been remodeled thankfully. The area which once held the coffin now had seats of which I was flamboyantly escorted to.
Then both together, "Happy Birthday dahlin'! We love you!"π
There was room for six more and the first stop was to pick up five friends waiting for us. Soon we were all in and heading out to eat. One might have thought the plan was to eat somewhere snazzy, right?!! Not with these guys!π
They wanted to have as much fun with the hearse as possible so we went to...wait for it...π
A car hop!π€£
Oh my gosh, you should have seen the looks on the faces of staff and other customers when we pulled up in this hearse festooned with black balloons! At a car hop!π
Then it got serious for a bit. I was asked what things I would yet like to do before things got worse, by Jason who played the dying one in the play. I could think of two things at that moment. One is something that has eluded me in being able to do which has been a burning desire to gallop a horse on a beach. Yet I have galloped everywhere else.ππππ
The other?
The next stop was to our favorite bar, City Lights, which had an amazing rock band whose lead singer Priscilla, was a lady we all knew and loved. Priscilla was in on the birthday festivities too and was the sixth one to join us after we closed City Lights down.
Finally, as the sun began coming up I was brought back home with fanfare to where the birthday of a lifetime all began. It certainly WAS the birthday of a lifetime!π
Friday, January 14, 2022
The Dance Of Adelaide...
At this point one has three options:
1. Not wash hands (NO WAY!)
2. Wash hands and leave dripping (then quickly assure the doctor who warmly grabs your hand to greet you it's not pee making it wet)π
3. Do the Adelaide Danceπ
The Adelaide Dance involves one having the ability to execute some serious dance moves because after all the outcome is very important here. While raising both arms in the air and waving them, dance wildly. Move to the left. Move to the right. Close in on the sensor. Back away. Do a spin. Jump up and down. Repeat as necessary. Can at times be successful however this process absolutely will not work if one dissolves into laughter.π€£
Now then, Public Toilets. You know, the many now designed for wheelchair users? Believe me for a wheelchair user these are a huge blessing I applaud. For a still mobile Little Person these toilets are as high as the sky! I am not kidding here folks, they nearly come up to my chest!π±
I have heard from other Little People some face these and climb on as one would climb a mountain. But Public Toilets are very seldom clean ones. NO WAY would I ever put my hands and clothing all over one to climb on like a mountain.π₯΄
So the only other alternative is to hopefully be a athletic Little Person capable of leaping from a car
hood to the backs of her horses. Only instead of leaping forwards, performing the hopping high to the sky leap of faith BACKwards.π
Quite often this endeavor was successful, however I imagine most of you probably do not realize just how large those seat openings are do you? Well I do because those openings would come close to swallowing your Adelaide right up. Rather down, I mean. Not good, not good. Especially if the seat is slippery and the toilet paper dispenser one grabs before sliding into the abyss comes off the wall.π₯΄
Thankfully nowadays an ingenious item got created. It's a easy to carry with a handle fold up step stool made now which I am never without when in public. However it doesn't help with motion sensors.π±
Now we come to automatic doors. Automatic doors come with sensors too, with serious design flaws failing to recognize there is a hooman down here seeking to get in or out. So they refuse to open. Discreetly trying to be recognized by these never works. And usually these doors have huge lobbies nearby where lots of people are seated thus providing the hooman with an audience who are quick to take notice of the free entertainment being provided for them while they are waiting for whatever they are waiting for. Trust me, few ever get up to actually assist the damsel in distress desperately trying to get in or out.π
So at this point, one has three options:
1. Scream and use swear words (NO WAY! Not becoming if an audience is present!)π±
2. Wait (assuming one does not have a plane to catch) for someone to come along going through the same doors
3. Do a different version of the Adelaide Dance than the one reserved for Paper Towel sensorsπ
This version of the Adelaide Dance became created when I discovered where many automatic door sensors are located which is usually way higher than I am off to the right or left side.π
For this version of the Adelaide Dance one must execute some very good leaping towards the heavens and waving ones arms about facing to the right. If this isn't successful it could either mean one failed to leap high enough, or wave ones arms correctly, or one needs to face left because the sensor is on the left rather than the right, then repeat the Dance.π
If the Adelaide Dance fails and one has either a plane to catch or is in need of a restroom facility very quickly, try doing #2 because eventually someone will come along going the way you are allowing one to catch a ride on their height ability which activates the door sensor. Should they become aware one is using said person's height ability to open the door do exuberantly thank
them.ππ
This actually happened to me once catching a flight to Seattle, and the man whose height ability I needed and exuberantly thanked him for wound up not only on the same flight but was seated next to me! We had a very delightful visit in which he discovered I owned and galloped on horses, then...wait for it...π€£
"How DO you get ON your horses?!!"π
So my dear ones, should you come across a height compromised hooman dancing and waving before anything with a motion sensor please kindly offer to extend your height abilities to assist them.π€£