A Black man (this is novel enough in Missoula to merit comment, yes) of about my father's age and with a similarly grizzled beard was waiting at the crosswalk this morning as I approached. He wore a snap-brim cap, comfortable clothes, athletic shoes, and black leather fringed motorcycle gloves... the better to steer the electric scooter he rode. He also wore headphones and was happily rocking out, playing aim-drums over the handlebars of his scooter as I walked up. We greeted each other and I commented that I really liked his gloves. He pulled the headphones away from one ear, grinned broadly, and said "I got to wear my gloves! I learned to roll when I was fifteen. I got blowed up in 'Nam and I had a stroke *gestures at scooter* and that's why my coordination isn't so good. But my music... I got to have my music! Music is my life!" At that point the light changed and we crossed the street. He turned and cut across my path with a half-apologetic, half-playful grin and we wished each other a great day.
It is now my opinion that any person who uses a wheelchair, electric scooter, or other wheeled device because of limited mobility needs to own, and preferably wear when using said wheeled device, a pair of fringed leather motorcycle gloves. Yes, this includes the walker your great-grandmother uses in the rest home. You know she wants those gloves, she just doesn't know how to ask.
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