I got my scooter stuck in the snow. The hysterically funny part is that the snow was all of 1 inch deep. But when I pushed my go button, the wheels just spun and left me right where I was. I tried rocking my weight forward and back and then side to side, but no go. I ended up on my feet behind the scooter, trying to use it to support me as I worked the joystick to control movement. Still no go. I was sitting back in the chair considering my predicament when a couple came walking up, their dog on a leash. They were in their late sixties or so, out for a stroll. Seeing my problem, the man came forward to push the scooter while I worked the joystick. For a few wonderful inches this worked. And then the scooter stopped abruptly and threw me forward and onto the snowy ground. “Oh, God.” said the man. “Oh, dear.” said the woman. “That really sucked,” I said, spitting out some snow. The guy apologized all over himself and I brushed it off along with a load of snow. “It’s okay,” I said. “The ground broke my fall.” He looked at me a moment and then he smiled and told me he was glad I was okay. Between us, we managed to get the scooter to a bare spot of asphalt where we said our goodbyes and each went on our way. I managed to get about a half a block before I found myself stuck again. Since I was only a block from home, I called my wife on my cell and told her I was stuck and where I was. A moment later I saw her poke her head out the front door, scanning up and down the road. I waved and she returned it. Another moment and she came out putting on her parka. “This is why you have a car that carries your scooter.” she said. “Well, I was just getting some air and went to the end of the block and back. It’s just too slick out here. With her pushing and me working the controls, we got it into the house ten minutes later. Sometimes it’s the little things that can make or break a day. Normally a handy thing to have, my scooter just proved it could be a wicked sadist. Which is one of those things we muse over, like not getting cold as a kid.
