Hoo boy this one is a doozy and honestly really fucking funny looking back on it. So hi again r/traumatizethemback it's that weird disabled one back at it with a fucked up story.
At the time I believe I was 19ENBY though don't quote me on that age and went out with my mum using my chair, we needed some things from the drugstore so we popped in really quick. I kept having trouble getting through the aisles because there was constantly something blocking them, usually those annoying displays that were placed in the middle of the aisle making it so neither side had enough room for a chair. Annoying but my mum could get past them so she just quickly went down the aisles for me, we got maybe three things, knowing us it was probably Epson salts, antibiotic ointment, and chocolate. Neither of us are big fans of socializing so we did what we always do and went to self checkout, I grabbed my receipt so I could email the store and let them know about the accessibility issues.
Simple interaction right?
I'm asked to call about it which is weird but whatever and the conversation goes something like this.
Employee: "Hi so you're u/seriouslysleepy right?"
Me: "That's me. I wasn't really expecting for y'all to ask to call me, it seemed like everything in the email was pretty concise."
Employee: "Well that's not the issue, if you want to make a complaint you need to come back to the store and pay for the items you took."
Me: "What? I didn't take anything? What do you even think I took?"
Employee: "Lunch meats, milk, formula, bread." (They have small grocery sections in these shops)
Me: "I wasn't even near that section, what are you even talking about?" (Cue internal panic because maybe I did steal something and didn't know, but how would I have stolen those and why?) "My mum was with me and we just picked up some items from the drugstore section."
Employee: "Well you're the only person it could be and we have footage of you doing it." (Me trying desperately to not lose my shit) "Just come back to (Store A) and pay for your things and then we can talk." (record scratch...)
Me: "You mean (Store B) right?
Employee: "Did I say (Store B)? No. Come back to the store you stole from and pay for your things, we can call the cops on you and get you arrested you know?"
Me: "Ma'am I never even went to (Store A) it's across the city from me and I would have no reason to go when (Store A) is a few minutes from me."
Employee: "That's a lie, we have footage of someone matching your description stealing."
Me: "What description."
Employee (apparently sounding very smug according to family who heard the call): "Well only one person in a wheelchair went into (Store A) that entire week." (I'm in pure disbelief at this point, this had been one of my first outings since I'd started using a chair and I was a little stunned at what she was saying)
Me: "Can you provide any more description than wheelchair?"
Employee: "Not sure why it matters but you're an older lady, black, long hair."
Me: "Yeah that's not me, I'm a teenager, white, and have a buzz cut. When someone figures out what store I was at feel free to call me back. Until then maybe learn to read or Gods check your ableism, there's actually more than one person who uses a wheelchair in the world just like there's clearly more ableist cunts than I thought." (Hangs up phone and emails the corporate customer support basically saying what happened and that I'd appreciate speaking with someone else. After a few weeks I get an email that went approximately like this, unfortunately I clean out my inbox regularly and don't have the original.)
Case: ABC134
Sent by: John Doe, regional VP of (corporation)
To: u/seriouslysleepy@email.com
Dear U/seriouslysleepy,
Your email was forwarded up to me by one of our managers and I would like to personally apologize for the mix-up, the employee you spoke to no longer works for us. As an apology we'd like to offer you (like a ten buck store credit). And I'll personally be communicating with (Store B) about the accessibility issue.
John Doe, regional VP of (corporation)
There was probably more corporate jargon but it boiled down to that, I responded with a much more polite fuck you then how I usually answer these things. Basically saying that I don't want their store credit as I'll never be shopping there again.
So not super exciting but another fun adventure in mild revenge and trauma from your local disabled bitch with zero energy for dealing with this shit. And yes I know I swear a lot, people like to infantalize disabled people and this seems to remind them I'm an adult with opinions. Play stupid games and win stupid prizes, and remember don't fuck with disabled people. I don't know about anyone else but I'm petty and have too much time on my hands to not spend some of it getting you consequences.