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Randy's Ramblings
By Randy Fisher
Last Updated: June 29, 2017

Think about your actions

"That's all I can stands, I can't stands no more!"

Remember these immortal words of Popeye the Sailor? He would utter them when he reached a point where he felt action was necessary. I thought of them last week when I felt action was necessary.

There are a lot of reasons why I enjoy taking pictures of Valley Center kids playing ball in the summer. But that enjoyment was tempered last week by the actions of a few insensitive people.

I went to McKay-Petrie Sports Complex on June 20 to shoot, going to the T-ball fields first. I was literally stopped in my treads when the third-base stands for Field 5 were sitting smack-dab across the sidewalk.

I could get around them, but not as easily as I used to. Which is beside the point. And I'm sure there are many people who wouldn't have been able to get around them at all on their own, or would have had more difficulty than me.

Apparently the mowers forgot to move the stands back when they finished. How you can "forget" to return something like that to its original position I don't understand.

Nor do I understand how a field supervisor would "not notice" the stands were blocking the sidewalk. On the other hand, kudos to that supervisor for doing what he said he would do: have a Rec Commission crew move the stands.

That night at Field 1, the entire sidewalk in front of the third-base stands was blocked by fans in bag chairs. This also happened two nights later at the same field.

I was able to get next to the dugout each time but in trying to return, encountered a lip where the ground was lower than the sidewalk. Each time, however, the people were kind enough to move their chairs so I could get by.

Each time I mentioned to them that I did not believe the sidewalk was there so they would have a level place for their chairs. Rather, I believe the sidewalk was there to make it easier for everyone to move around. I don't know if anyone heard me or not.

On the in-between night, June 21, I went to the junior varsity baseball field. Guess what? The entire walkway between the first-base stands and the fence was blocked by people in bag chairs. Fortunately, a friend in the crowd asked a few people to move so I could get by.

After the game, I rolled over to the varsity diamond to use the restroom, but the entrance was blocked (see picture). Apparently this piece of equipment was being stored there, which is fine — as long as the entrance is still accessible to people in wheelchairs, which it was not. Fortunately, a young man finishing up graciously moved this impediment so I could use the facilities.

My wife was correct when she said none of these incidents were directed at me. I believe these incidents were the result of people who didn't stop to think of the consequences of their seemingly innocent actions.

So the next time you go to a ball game or anywhere, I would ask you be more aware of your surroundings. Especially when it comes to accessible paths of travel and entrances. You may be "Temporarily Able Bodied" now, but you never know when you or someone you care about may need to use one of those paths or entrances.

Besides, it's the courteous thing to do.

Randy Fisher is news and advertising assistant and sports writer for The Ark Valley News. Reach him at legals@arkvalleynews.com or 755-0821.




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