Yeah, the dog can come in.

I was confronted the other day in a grocery store by an older man in an electric scooter. He yelled at me for having a dog in the grocery store. Needless to say I attempted to explain that the dog was a service dog, and therefore, legally entitled to be in the store. He wouldn't hear it and declared that he was calling the manager. I told him he was more than welcome to do that and walked away. Several other patrons had come to my defense. Kind people who tried to explain to him that she was allowed to be there. It made me smile to know that so many people were aware of the laws regarding access for service animals. However, the irony was that the person who was so vocal appeared disabled himself. Which got me to thinking, how is this man so unfamiliar with the laws that apply to those with disabilities. It has occurred to me that while I am physically impaired, I am still able to learn and adapt. I can look online and find information on laws and my civil rights as a disabled person. Perhaps this man was unable to do the same. I can certainly say that they do not hand you a user's manual on how to be disabled. There is no brochure "welcome to the disabled world" or orientation to the wonderful world of impairment. So how do we ensure that people not only know their rights, but know how to access resources that can improve their lives? Education is the key. Perhaps in addition to the insurance information or benefits summaries, Social Security could include information on civil rights and disablities. For now though, I had to settle for walking away from someone who was angry and intolerant. But as I walked away, shocked at the man's hostility, all I could think was... hey that guy really needs a service dog.