There's No Such Thing as Normal

For my assignment, I decided to ask a guy friend of mine, who is in a wheelchair, if he would like to go on a “friend date” with me. We decided to go out to eat at Sweet Tomatoes, then went bowling, and ended the “date” grabbing coffee at Starbucks.

Accessibility:

The accessibility as the restaurant was easy for my friend maneuver his wheelchair through because they had a wheelchair ramp and handicap parking so we were able to park close to the entrance. We picked this restaurant because the salad bar is very open and       spacious, so his wheelchair could fit through easily. It was also easy for Matt to adapt well at Starbucks because they have a wheelchair ramp, handrails and a larger table specially designed and labeled to be wheelchair accessibl

Adaptability:

The other customers in the restaurant eating didn’t mind my friend being in a wheelchair at all. I helped him with putting the servings on his plate because the salad bar items were a little high for him and the food items far bar were hard to reach. Doing this may have taken a little longer, but no one seemed to mind. I fixed our drinks for us because it is hard for my friend to hold a drink and wheel himself at the same time. However, he was able to easily fix himself a plate of rolls and other foods in another section of the restaurant because he places the food in his lap while he maneuvers his wheelchair with his hands.

Activity:

We chose to go bowling because it is all on one floor level so we didn’t have to worry about stairs or anything, and also because the layout was wide enough for a wheelchair to fit through. It was great to see that Matt had fun because he was able to just place the bowling ball on the side of his wheelchair and swing his arm without any trouble at all. They also have bumpers and the bowling balls were placed on shelves low to the ground so they were easy to grab.

Crowding:

The Brunswick bowling center wasn’t too crowded because we decided to go on a weeknight, and we didn’t hold anyone up since we got to go at our own pace. The bowling alley was also wide enough so Matt didn’t feel crowded or cramped in his wheelchair. Matt also didn’t feel crowded in the restaurant because it was so open that he was able to wheel himself around without getting in anyone’s way.

Sensory Stimulation:

All three locations offered infinite sensory stimulation. The Brunswick bowling alley is visually stimulating because it is decorated with  bright colors, televisions, arcade games and also the noise of the bowling balls hitting the pins. Brunswick also played music in the background. Sweet Tomatoes was decorated with posters of decadent food, had bright lighting in the food

 serving areas and had delicious smells of food.

Starbucks was also decorated with pictures of coffee beans and had the delicious smell of fresh coffee in the air.

Privacy:

We had good privacy at Starbucks because the coffee shop is an environment in which people can have personal conversations. We sat at a table that was more open than others because it was spacious enough for a wheelchair to back in and out. Sweet Tomatoes also had good privacy because no one could hear our conversation with the music and cooking food in the background
and it is a self-serve restaurant so a server didn’t
interrupt us.

Sociality:

We were close enough to other tables at Sweet Tomatoes to engage in a conversation, but I usually don’t talk to strangers while they’re eating. People would just get their food and then talk with their friends. At Brunswick bowling, we talked with people that were beside our lane to see who was winning and the techniques they had to offer us. It was a very open environment to social with others. Starbucks was also open as well to start a conversation with people because of its open layout, but I didn’t want to bother someone if they were studying or having a serious talk.

Control:

There is little one could control at Sweet Tomatoes because it is public territory. However, one could somewhat control how many times they wanted to bowl at Brunswick. They could stay on the same lane as long as they paid for it. I believe one could also have a little control at Starbucks by holding a table for hours on end.

Conclusion:

This experience gave me a whole new perspective on how people with a disability function in daily activities. I definitely have a lot more respect with people who struggle with minimal tasks everyday. This is a great assignment and I’m glad I got the opportunity to do it!