Parkinson’s is My Co-Pilot

So I had just finished having dinner with a good friend and he was holding my car door open so I could get in, when a woman riding slowly past on a bike said to my friend something like “You shouldn’t help someone get behind the wheel when they’re too drunk to drive.”Now I have had Parkinson’s Disease for 14 years, and I know when my medicine wears off I have a lot of trouble walking, but no difficulty driving. During those times my body sort of forgets how to walk and my attempts to move forward can range from looking awkward to appearing deranged. At the time I’m sure my gait was somewhere between the two. And while there was wine with dinner Parkinson’s, not pinot noir, was entirely responsible for my condition. After the bike rider’s comment I told her I have Parkinson’s and she seemed very embarrassed and apologized, while riding away. Was she wrong to try to stop what she thought was a drunk driver? That’s a good instinct, right? But two things come to mind. For one thing, a ride-by comment accusing someone of being drunk seems more likely to spark anger than to get the desired result. Maybe “do you need an Uber or a taxi?” might be a better approach. In addition, unless you are Columbo, a fleeting glance at a person probably isn’t enough to judge their mental state. Maybe if she had seen the disabled parking permit hanging from the rear view mirror she might have had e a more forgiving, and accurate view. In any case, I’m sure there’s a lesson in there for me somewhere, I just need to take my time to see it clearly.