The Security Guard

       Today I babysat L all day and decided that, since we had such a long time together, I would take a trip down to Ikea. L has autism, and while outings in stores are tiring for me as I have to work hard to keep her under control, they are very beneficial for her. So I tend to take her to stores when we have a long day together, even if I am not planning to buy anything. 
       L pushed the cart, didn't scream or hit people (which she tends to do in overstimulating environments), and restrained her enthusiasm for the gigantic overhead fans to lots of pointing and rocking back & forth and just a bit of medium-volume laughter. I was so proud of her! We had navigated the swarms of people (& I mean swarms - there were moving trucks in the parking lot) to get into the line for the escalator which takes people & their carts down to the parking lot. L has been on this before and thinks its just the neatest thing. 
       When we reached the front of the line, however, the security guard who was helping load people onto the escalator stepped in front of me and grabbed hold of my cart. He said "I would strongly suggest that you use the elevator". When I asked why, he said "There is a step off at the bottom and there will be other carts behind you." I paused to allow his statement to sink in, and with growing anger asked if he was seriously going to make me take L all the way back out to the elevator, to which he replied "I think it would be better". 
       I could not believe that we were being kicked out of the line simply because this man had looked at L and decided she couldn't get out of the way quickly enough. After gaping at him for a couple more seconds, during which time he continued to hold on to my cart & block the entrance to the escalator, it sank in that it was in fact happening and that he was not going to back down. So I turned around, grinding my teeth, & we threaded our way back through the crowd and over to the elevator. I wish I had made more of a fuss, but I was so flabbergasted that I had absolutely no words! She has used that escalator before, which in my astonishment I forgot to mention to this man, and she absolutely loves it. This lunkhead took that enjoyment away from her and stuck her in a dimly-lit metal box instead!
       As I was walking home afterward I called Ikea and let them know what had happened. It is the first time that I have called to complain about an employee's behavior. I hope that they give that man at the very least a stern talking to about everyone's right to equal access. And while I wouldn't want him to actually lose his job, I would really like it if he had to squirm for a while. 
       I learned about the Americans with Disabilities Act in school, but I think now that I never really deeply understood the need for laws to protect people's rights. I somehow held on to the belief that people would of course try to make opportunities for those who have limitations. Today was eye-opening for me.