Dear Readers,
Congressman Mike Thompson, who represents Healdsburg, sent a letter to me the day before yesterday. He has personally talked "at length" with the City Manager. The result is that inspectors have visited the Dry Creek Inn and brought several accessibility issues to the City's attention. The City takes these issues "seriously" and hopes to resove them soon. Democracy works!
Mike Thompson serves on the Congressional Committee on Ways and Means' Subcommittee on Health and the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures. He is on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; Chairman of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Human Intelligence, Analysis and Counterintelligence. He serves on the Subcommittee on Intelligence Community Management.
His able staffer Cheryl Diehm in Napa brought this to his attention for me.
Things are moving in the right direction. When I learn about a plan to restructure the few rooms that need adjustments, so people with disabilities can use them, I'll let you know.
Maybe this pawn has a chance to Queen!
Anne
12/4/09
12/3/09
WARNING TO HEALDSBURG, CALIFORNIA: NEVER UNDERESTIMATE A LITTLE OLD LADY
Dear Readers,
Personal power is not always visible, but you can be sure that all the so-called "Nobodies" of this world have it.
It was a sudden storm, dark and mean. Dawn at the San Francisco airport and I have no umbrella, so I yank up my collar, waiting for the large, obviously wealthy man in front of me to stop yelling at the skycap.
"Old man, the reason you're still lugging bags is because you're slow, stupid, and you don't listen. This is going with me onto the plane!"
"Sir, that bag can't be carried on. It won't fit under the seat or in the bulkhead. Airline regulations say I've got to tag it."
Mr. Big and Wealthy threw his shoulders back.
"I'll tell you again ..." And so he did. Louder. Slower. With venom in his voice.
"Sorry, Sir, but I could lose my job ..."
"You sure as hell will lose your job if I miss my flight! Do you know who I am?"
Though I couldn't hear who the passenger was the skycap seemed impressed and off he went, cashmere coat tails flying, Italian black leather shoes racing, elegant brief case clutched in one hand, the much disputed suitcase in his other. His body roaring both fury and triumph.
As I stepp up to check in I compliment the skycap on keeping his temper. He's an old man and it was embarrassing to witness the browbeating he took.
"Oh, it's nothing'. Nothin' at all. He's a really important man, full of worries and short on time. Ummmmmm, yas. A powerful man."
The skycap bends over, tagging my bags as he speaks. Then he pauses, raises his body slowly, with dignity, until he looks me full in the face. His smile lights up the sky. His eyelids blink a few times, relishing his vision.
"Ummmmmm, yas. A powerful man, goin' to London. Then, he winks at me. "His bags? They're goin' to Argentina."
"You didn't!"
"Yup! I did. I sure did. Won't he be surprised."
(This is just a reminder from a little old lady who wants the Best Western/Dry Creek Inn in Healdsburg, California to have compassion for people with disabilities. It's a Human Rights issue. They, and the city that gives them a permit to rent rooms, have got to provide a few rooms that comply with Federal law.)
Anne
A Little Old Lady in California
Personal power is not always visible, but you can be sure that all the so-called "Nobodies" of this world have it.
It was a sudden storm, dark and mean. Dawn at the San Francisco airport and I have no umbrella, so I yank up my collar, waiting for the large, obviously wealthy man in front of me to stop yelling at the skycap.
"Old man, the reason you're still lugging bags is because you're slow, stupid, and you don't listen. This is going with me onto the plane!"
"Sir, that bag can't be carried on. It won't fit under the seat or in the bulkhead. Airline regulations say I've got to tag it."
Mr. Big and Wealthy threw his shoulders back.
"I'll tell you again ..." And so he did. Louder. Slower. With venom in his voice.
"Sorry, Sir, but I could lose my job ..."
"You sure as hell will lose your job if I miss my flight! Do you know who I am?"
Though I couldn't hear who the passenger was the skycap seemed impressed and off he went, cashmere coat tails flying, Italian black leather shoes racing, elegant brief case clutched in one hand, the much disputed suitcase in his other. His body roaring both fury and triumph.
As I stepp up to check in I compliment the skycap on keeping his temper. He's an old man and it was embarrassing to witness the browbeating he took.
"Oh, it's nothing'. Nothin' at all. He's a really important man, full of worries and short on time. Ummmmmm, yas. A powerful man."
The skycap bends over, tagging my bags as he speaks. Then he pauses, raises his body slowly, with dignity, until he looks me full in the face. His smile lights up the sky. His eyelids blink a few times, relishing his vision.
"Ummmmmm, yas. A powerful man, goin' to London. Then, he winks at me. "His bags? They're goin' to Argentina."
"You didn't!"
"Yup! I did. I sure did. Won't he be surprised."
(This is just a reminder from a little old lady who wants the Best Western/Dry Creek Inn in Healdsburg, California to have compassion for people with disabilities. It's a Human Rights issue. They, and the city that gives them a permit to rent rooms, have got to provide a few rooms that comply with Federal law.)
Anne
A Little Old Lady in California
12/2/09
BE CAREFUL: NEVER UNDERESTIMATE A "NOBODY"
Dear Readers,
I have pressed the pause button. The City of Healdsburg in California's wine country has until December 15th to let me know that they have worked out a plan with the Best Western/Dry Creek Inn so that hotel rooms for people with disabilities will be suitable. I suggested that the changes take place within a year.
You will be the first to know. If I hear nothing then I will make the reasonable assumption that their behavior (which is the strongest indicator of what people want) means that they want me to publish widely the letter that I wrote to them, asking them to be compassionate. And their refusal to be so.
Until then, I am posting a true story that shows how powerful a seemingly insignificant human being can be.
See the next post.
Anne
I have pressed the pause button. The City of Healdsburg in California's wine country has until December 15th to let me know that they have worked out a plan with the Best Western/Dry Creek Inn so that hotel rooms for people with disabilities will be suitable. I suggested that the changes take place within a year.
You will be the first to know. If I hear nothing then I will make the reasonable assumption that their behavior (which is the strongest indicator of what people want) means that they want me to publish widely the letter that I wrote to them, asking them to be compassionate. And their refusal to be so.
Until then, I am posting a true story that shows how powerful a seemingly insignificant human being can be.
See the next post.
Anne
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