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To recap. My husband, my service dog and I all took a trip last year to Nantucket Island of the coast of Massachussets. We went for three days and two nights. It's the longest vacation I have ever been on, at least that is what it seemed to be at the time. For those of you who did not read part one, a recap: Get to the Island, husband throws up in the cottage, I go to get him medicine, Ike and I are thrown out of the grocery store that had a "no pets" rule and sign. Yes, they actually escorted my precious service dog Ike and I to the register and then out the door. It was all very embarrasing and rude. If I did not have a very sick husband at the cottage I may have called the police ( somewhat scared of police even though I know I am right), So this is where the rest of the story of my "vacation" to Nantucket Island begins.
The Lobster Pot restuarant has been around on Nantucket since I lived there. I did not go there that often when I lived there as I lived "Out of town" and it was too far to drive. Imagine telling someone you live 10 miles from that you can't come over because it's too far?. You life gets a little warped living on an Island with no traffic lights, few stop signs, and walking everywhere is very popular. I used to Roller Blade everywhere out there. I was also called "The Sconset" walker as I would walk every morning in the same pink and blue Adidias jacket to Sciasconset Village north of the town. I lived in an area called Tom Nevers and if you ever watched "Wings" you know that Tom Nevers Field is actually the airport. The airport code in case you are into those things is ACK. So now when you see a car with ACK you are now "in the know". If you see a car with "My dog digs Nantucket" it's me, although Ike did not get a good first impression of the place. Okay, back to the Lobster Pot. It's close to town so since I was staying in town I thought it would be a good place to go to get MY FAVORITE meal of Lobster and Steamers ( not the same as they have out here). I had already gotten food from them the night before ( fish and chips) and had no problem, of course I did take out then. The fish and chips were good and I didn't have any problems so I figured it would be a great place to bring my husband for good New England food. Now, I know that living on a small Island with 6,000 people in the winter and 60,000 in the summer you might feel like you are in another country but I hate to spill it to you "Islanders" you do live in the United States, Good Ol' US of A, America the beautiful. As such, Nantucket needs to follow laws layed out to protect american citizens with or without disabilities. My husband was feeling well enought to accompany me to the restaurant and I assured him that he would get the best and finest seafood in the US not the lobsters we get from Baja, that Californians put in taco's:)). Although he didn't think anything could top a Baja lobster he was to weak to argue with me...I was happy about that as he always wins in those circumstances. We walk in and the first thing the hostess says is....yup " no dogs allowed". Since what happened yesterday was still eating at me I decided to stick up for myself (you will see why I should have run out right then) The guy who filled my order last night was there with a stupid grin on his face and not even stealing a glace over to me. Just as I was about to say something, a slightly older than 19 woman came over and said, " He can sit on the patio with you". I said to myself is this worth a battle, do I tell her she has to let me sit wherever I dam choose???? I slinked away and under my breath muttered " we can sit inside if we really want" which was not heard by anybody except Ike. Ike wanted to be in the airconditioned room, not on the hot patio, but he followed me like the good boy he is. We sit down and the waitress comes over. She tells me how cute and well behaved my dog is. Ike's job in a restaurant is to lay down under the table if he can, or lay beside me in a small ball. So Ike assumes position and off the waitress goes with our order. I am so excited about my Lobster and Steamers I almost can't containe myself. This is my favorite food in the whole world and nothing was going to stand in my way of enjoying it. I get to New England maybe once every two years so this is a big deal!. "Here it comes, here it comes", I shout excitedly to my husband, who was looking blaise about the whole experience. Okay, I am now in heaven, eating my lobsters and steamers with a bib on...YUMMY. I look up from the ectasy of my food to see a man coming toward us. I don't realy think much of it as there ar a few other "townies" at the bar and he looked like he fit right in. Much, Much, Much to my horror and surprise this man was coming over to us. So, picture this, you are in the middle of your favorite meal, heaven on earth and now a burly, mean looking man with a scowl on his face is at your side. And out of his mouth, to much my surprise, " I haven't decided if I should let YOU PEOPLE and YOUR DOGS into this restaurant at all. Did I have wax in my ears. Did the flight blow my eardrums....YOU PEOPLE. That was way out of line and I couldn't keep quiet and I could no longer savor the delectable fare in front of me. " My dog is a fully trained service dogs and he is allowed by law to accompany me ANY place I go". I was pissed!. Not only was this our last night on the Island I was now wondering if I would ever come back here. "Would you like to see Ike's certificate" even though I owe him no sort of proof as by law is not required. I was trying to get this man to see the error of his ways, to help someone else that might come in here with a service dog. Meanwhile, all the townies are watching what happens, waiting for the BMOC to kick us out. The man, who I find out is the MANAGER (which makes this even worse as he should know the laws) takes my card, glances at it, and says " This here is only good in California so why don't you go back there and try getting him in a restaurant there", he looks over to his cronies as to say" I put her in her place". He is still standing there and I try to tell him again that it is the "American with Disabilities Act", that my card has the federal law written on it too. I guess he couldn't read and this is the best he could do. By now I have completely lost my appetite and go running outside. Bye lobster, bye Steamers, bye bib....GOOD RIDANCE AHole. My husband stayed inside and paid the bill. The last thing we wanted is to give this guy an excuse for his behavior. I could already hear him saying " they just wanted free food so thats why they complained". My husband asked to speak to the manager again, to get his name, phone number and the owner of the restaurants phone number. The Guy would not come back out! Not only was he a Ahole, he was a chicken sh*T He sent some young kid out to tell us he was not coming back out and he had nothing further to say. My husband found Ike and I around the corner, I was crying. I know you all are going to tell me that I should have done more, but in the face of evil I was taught to run. We went back to our cottage, hungry and sad that my favorite spot, Nantucket Island, had turned a cruel head, blind eye and no justice for how I was treated!. I just hope that someone else never goes through what I did on the Island, and used to live there full time....such a shame...such a shame....
Jennifer and her service dog Ike Please comment on this story, tell me what I should have done and how I should handle it next time.
To recap. My husband, my service dog and I all took a trip last year to Nantucket Island of the coast of Massachussets. We went for three days and two nights. It's the longest vacation I have ever been on, at least that is what it seemed to be at the time. For those of you who did not read part one, a recap: Get to the Island, husband throws up in the cottage, I go to get him medicine, Ike and I are thrown out of the grocery store that had a "no pets" rule and sign. Yes, they actually escorted my precious service dog Ike and I to the register and then out the door. It was all very embarrasing and rude. If I did not have a very sick husband at the cottage I may have called the police ( somewhat scared of police even though I know I am right), So this is where the rest of the story of my "vacation" to Nantucket Island begins.
The Lobster Pot restuarant has been around on Nantucket since I lived there. I did not go there that often when I lived there as I lived "Out of town" and it was too far to drive. Imagine telling someone you live 10 miles from that you can't come over because it's too far?. You life gets a little warped living on an Island with no traffic lights, few stop signs, and walking everywhere is very popular. I used to Roller Blade everywhere out there. I was also called "The Sconset" walker as I would walk every morning in the same pink and blue Adidias jacket to Sciasconset Village north of the town. I lived in an area called Tom Nevers and if you ever watched "Wings" you know that Tom Nevers Field is actually the airport. The airport code in case you are into those things is ACK. So now when you see a car with ACK you are now "in the know". If you see a car with "My dog digs Nantucket" it's me, although Ike did not get a good first impression of the place. Okay, back to the Lobster Pot. It's close to town so since I was staying in town I thought it would be a good place to go to get MY FAVORITE meal of Lobster and Steamers ( not the same as they have out here). I had already gotten food from them the night before ( fish and chips) and had no problem, of course I did take out then. The fish and chips were good and I didn't have any problems so I figured it would be a great place to bring my husband for good New England food. Now, I know that living on a small Island with 6,000 people in the winter and 60,000 in the summer you might feel like you are in another country but I hate to spill it to you "Islanders" you do live in the United States, Good Ol' US of A, America the beautiful. As such, Nantucket needs to follow laws layed out to protect american citizens with or without disabilities. My husband was feeling well enought to accompany me to the restaurant and I assured him that he would get the best and finest seafood in the US not the lobsters we get from Baja, that Californians put in taco's:)). Although he didn't think anything could top a Baja lobster he was to weak to argue with me...I was happy about that as he always wins in those circumstances. We walk in and the first thing the hostess says is....yup " no dogs allowed". Since what happened yesterday was still eating at me I decided to stick up for myself (you will see why I should have run out right then) The guy who filled my order last night was there with a stupid grin on his face and not even stealing a glace over to me. Just as I was about to say something, a slightly older than 19 woman came over and said, " He can sit on the patio with you". I said to myself is this worth a battle, do I tell her she has to let me sit wherever I dam choose???? I slinked away and under my breath muttered " we can sit inside if we really want" which was not heard by anybody except Ike. Ike wanted to be in the airconditioned room, not on the hot patio, but he followed me like the good boy he is. We sit down and the waitress comes over. She tells me how cute and well behaved my dog is. Ike's job in a restaurant is to lay down under the table if he can, or lay beside me in a small ball. So Ike assumes position and off the waitress goes with our order. I am so excited about my Lobster and Steamers I almost can't containe myself. This is my favorite food in the whole world and nothing was going to stand in my way of enjoying it. I get to New England maybe once every two years so this is a big deal!. "Here it comes, here it comes", I shout excitedly to my husband, who was looking blaise about the whole experience. Okay, I am now in heaven, eating my lobsters and steamers with a bib on...YUMMY. I look up from the ectasy of my food to see a man coming toward us. I don't realy think much of it as there ar a few other "townies" at the bar and he looked like he fit right in. Much, Much, Much to my horror and surprise this man was coming over to us. So, picture this, you are in the middle of your favorite meal, heaven on earth and now a burly, mean looking man with a scowl on his face is at your side. And out of his mouth, to much my surprise, " I haven't decided if I should let YOU PEOPLE and YOUR DOGS into this restaurant at all. Did I have wax in my ears. Did the flight blow my eardrums....YOU PEOPLE. That was way out of line and I couldn't keep quiet and I could no longer savor the delectable fare in front of me. " My dog is a fully trained service dogs and he is allowed by law to accompany me ANY place I go". I was pissed!. Not only was this our last night on the Island I was now wondering if I would ever come back here. "Would you like to see Ike's certificate" even though I owe him no sort of proof as by law is not required. I was trying to get this man to see the error of his ways, to help someone else that might come in here with a service dog. Meanwhile, all the townies are watching what happens, waiting for the BMOC to kick us out. The man, who I find out is the MANAGER (which makes this even worse as he should know the laws) takes my card, glances at it, and says " This here is only good in California so why don't you go back there and try getting him in a restaurant there", he looks over to his cronies as to say" I put her in her place". He is still standing there and I try to tell him again that it is the "American with Disabilities Act", that my card has the federal law written on it too. I guess he couldn't read and this is the best he could do. By now I have completely lost my appetite and go running outside. Bye lobster, bye Steamers, bye bib....GOOD RIDANCE AHole. My husband stayed inside and paid the bill. The last thing we wanted is to give this guy an excuse for his behavior. I could already hear him saying " they just wanted free food so thats why they complained". My husband asked to speak to the manager again, to get his name, phone number and the owner of the restaurants phone number. The Guy would not come back out! Not only was he a Ahole, he was a chicken sh*T He sent some young kid out to tell us he was not coming back out and he had nothing further to say. My husband found Ike and I around the corner, I was crying. I know you all are going to tell me that I should have done more, but in the face of evil I was taught to run. We went back to our cottage, hungry and sad that my favorite spot, Nantucket Island, had turned a cruel head, blind eye and no justice for how I was treated!. I just hope that someone else never goes through what I did on the Island, and used to live there full time....such a shame...such a shame....
Jennifer and her service dog Ike Please comment on this story, tell me what I should have done and how I should handle it next time.