To the editor:

My Christmas spirit evaporated today. I ventured out wanting a plate of noodles at Zen Zero. Drunken noodles, to be exact, medium hot with chicken, spicy brown sauce clinging to the wide Asian noodles, red peppers and onions mixed in, poetry on a plate for eight bucks. Of course, that was not to be.

Downtown was swamped, a sea of cars from horizon to horizon. It quickly became apparent that many Lawrencians live for the day when cheap wrapping paper and ugly Christmas tree ornaments are offered for half price. Shoppers were hip deep on the sidewalks. Every parking place within two counties was full, with two cars circling the block for each one that could park.

It didn’t take me long to notice that downtown Lawrence was no place for a crippled-up old man with a yen for a plate of noodles. On a good day, I can walk a block. The parking place nearest Zen Zero was in southern Nebraska. It is unfortunate that the city of Lawrence seems unaware that there is more than one handicapped person per block in this city.

I may try again next week. Or I may not. The downtown merchants seem intent upon serving the healthy among us first, those that can park on a side street and hoof it a few blocks to get to the stores. I can’t do that. If downtown doesn’t want me any worse than that, maybe I’ll stick with the suburbs.

Michael Jones,

Lawrence