A Better Mousetrap

Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door.

Back in the first decade of this century (is that really only 20 years ago?) as Papa became less and less steady on his feet and had trouble getting around, we got a walker for him. You remember what they looked like – tubular metal frame with either wheels or tennis balls on the feet. Those are definitely still available, and are still being purchased for anyone who needs more support than a cane to walk around.

They were wonderful. They provided stability and additional mobility for folks who, for whatever reason needed a little extra help. They would also fold flat, and fit comfortably behind the front seat of a car without someone having to put it in the trunk. Papa’s walker gave him several added months or even years of happy life.

In fact, when Al had his spell in the hospital in November of 2020, we purchased one just like that for him to use to get around in the house – from the bed to the bathroom, or from the table to his chair. Part of his physical therapy after he got out of the hospital was with the therapist teaching him how to safely use the walker.

Living as we do in a senior community, we noticed that most of the people with walkers here had a different design. Bill noticed that Al’s walker was not “wonderful” like some he had seen. So he explored options, and discovered that someone had indeed invented a better mousetrap.

This one has brakes which are easily applied. It has a handy pouch for storing whatever you might want to carry around. The seat functions as a lid to the pouch. It also folds up, but not quite as flat as the old one (you have to put it in the trunk instead of behind the front seat of the car.)

Quite frankly, I don’t know what we did before we had it. I use it to unload groceries from the car and carry them into the house (including 2-liter bottles of Diet Pepsi). In fact, I brought 6 big bottles of Pepsi in a few minutes ago with no problem. I also fill the pouch with empty glass containers to put out for the trash pickup. Al stashes books, DVDs, his iPad and other sundry items there to refer to when he goes up to the Gazebo – basically, anything he wants to carry that’s too big to fit in his pocket.

When Bill put it together, and saw how handy it was he declared that he’s surprised that every soccer-mom in the country hasn’t bought one for herself to carry drinks, and snacks for the team and to use as a seat for herself. I absolutely wish I had had one in my days of following soccer teams around.

This is a better mousetrap!