Low Expectations

The famed writer, Charles Dickens’ book Great Expectations, is being used as an introduction to this experience, which should have been “great expectations.” If for no other reason, this is an expose of how and why businesses in America are failing, and why the average person has so little respect for business activity.

I was having trouble with my refrigerator. It was purchased new at the time my new house was built here in the historic district, forty years ago. Common sense would dictate that the refrigerator was worn out, and that I should buy a new one.

I knew that Lowes home improvement stores usually had good buys on appliances. I called the head of the appliance department, introduced myself, and told him I would be out the next day to buy a new refrigerator. I told him what time I would arrive. I asked if he wanted me to pay by check or by credit card. I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT.

On this particular day, my assistant had a doctor’s appointment, so I had no one to drive my car, I called a taxi. The taxi driver took me inside the store, found an employee to take me to the appliance department, where I introduced myself and they said “Yes, we are expecting you.” He said, “The refrigerator you are interested in is over here. I will go with you.”

The roof of this large mega-store is supported by huge cement columns. He walked me right into one of these columns, which almost knocked me out. As I lost a bridge out of my teeth, and as I lay on the floor, the employees gathered around and laughed that this old blind man was trying to knock down their roof. I was in so much pain that I just wanted to get out of the place. Someone helped me to the front, where I leaned on a dumpster until a cab, which someone at the front cash register had called, arrived, and like a fool, I did not go to the hospital because I felt I could treat myself.

Now starts the legal harassment. One of the city’s most prestigious law firms, Stevens, Lennon, etc. handled my case against Lowes for negligence.  It was not a matter of money--I had sense enough to know they would spend endlessly with their in-house attorneys--but I wanted them to know that they would learn to treat disabled, blind customers in a more professional manner. My lawyers made the statement which every person should consider before due process in any case, “In this county, if you don’t have political influence, there is no justice, and remember, their pockets are deeper than yours.”

The president of Lowes is a graduate of Mt. Olive College, where he gives much money, where his name is on a building and where he knows I am a supporter, often a speaker at graduation, and where he knows I will not be hesitant to describe my treatment. The facts of this matter and others are these, as another prominent lawyer said to me recently, “large corporations pay no attention at all to the letterhead of prominent law firms anymore. The only way you get their attention is with a law suit, which can ruin you financially, win or lose.”

One would think that a law school sophomore would be able to win a law suit such as mine against this home improvement store of great wealth and notoriety.  But, as was the case of the employees in the store laughing at an old blind man who was lying on the floor, although he had done everything exactly right in trying to do business with them, they just do not care anymore.

For the country’s largest minority (estimated 38 million), disabled Americans, who use few public facilities, but are expected to pay the same taxes as everyone else. Even if they can buy a refrigerator, no one is going to help you legally, commercially, or otherwise.

Big business has reached the big decision that their bigness trumps all moral traditions.

One would think that the American with Disabilities Act (a 1990 legislation giving the disabled rights in public places), US Justice Dept, North Carolina Attorney General, or even a congressmen from this district, or local elected officials, would show some interest in the treatment of the disabled. All were sent copies of letters concerning this egregious behavior, not one replied in any way. You see, they just don't care. In this “me” generation, if injustice does not affect the high and mighty or a member of their family...”get over it, get on with your life.” Bad things happen to good people.

I lived through a time of racial disparity in the south, separate schools, separate water fountains, separate bathrooms, riding in the back of the bus, sitting in the balcony of the local theater. The same type businesses treated black people atrociously simply because of their skin color. I have traveled the world (8 round the world trips, passport stamped in 157 countries). I have seen discrimination, poverty beyond compare, the “big I, little U” mentality all over the world, human beings are the same everywhere...just one race, the human race. I could never have understood racial discrimination unless I had become a member of the world's largest minority, the disabled.

My parents were poor, I saw how my wonderful mother was treated in some stores. I knew the treatment of the elite in college. In order to understand discrimination of any type, you must understand where the people originate, we all come from the sin of our first father, Adam. Henpecked, his wife, Eve, led him down the road of selfishness, his first son killed his brother because of selfishness. Those killed in the Great Flood of 5000 BC were killed because of selfishness. Since then, wars, every type sin known to man, all because of the self-centered attitude of breaking the great commandment given to us by God, to love one another.

The employees in Lowes store, did not care one bit that I was a blind, 100% disabled service-connected veteran attempting to spend some money in their store. If I had gone into a coma, and I almost did, I doubt if they would have even called EMS. Historically, this store, this management, the government of this county, this state, are all part of the discriminating Democrat party that has ruled this part of the world for over 100 years. A political party which murders the most innocent of life, a political party which supports the greatest perversion of life (the gay agenda), a political party which supports decadence in political office will not care much about the disabled, or people whose skin is dark.

After all, it was healthy, wealthy, white men who passed the legislation putting human beings in the rear of buses, putting black children in separate schools from white children, putting black mothers in separate areas from white mothers. Why would they care anything about a disabled veteran?