[Blindtlk] Cool news during Christmas

[Tom Cramer]

Hello.

I wanted to write the list to let you know about something cool that
happened Christmas eve!  It goes back to a conversation we had on the
list a few weeks ago when I was asking about canes and independent
mobility.

I needed to buy a final gift for a family member and Amazon told me
they wouldn't deliver till after Christmas.  Since it was a CD I
figured that some nearby stores would have it.  My parents were
working and I didn't have much in the way of quick transportation and
would have to take a taxi or something to get the CD, and the more
stores I called the less luck I had.
I finally got one store that had it but it was on a different side of
town.  I figured I'd put my travel skills to use, and I called to find
out what buses I'd need to get to that store.  Turns out that if I
took onebus, it would turn into a different number at some point and
literally take me a couple of blocks from where I needed to go.  Why
not?  I needed to practice doing this anyway.

With cane in hand I found my way to the us stop and took the bus to
where I needed to go.  I walked the way I was directed and did get
slightly confused, but someone helped me out. He even made sure I
crossed a pretty long street.  I continued asking people along the way
when I needed clarification and found the music store.  I went in and
they had the CD waiting for me.  I even got another one for me.

Before  I left I asked about how to get out of that weird parking lot,
and following the directions they gave me I made my way back to the
street and sidewalk and back to the bus.  I did worry a little bit
because I thought I had missed the stop due to walking a long time and
not exactly knowing where the stop was.  As I began to second guess
myself, I found the gus shelter and asked a passer by if I was where I
needed to be.  About ten minutes later the bus came.

I was home before the rest of my family came back from work.

When I told my family, they were surprised.  I'm on my way to being a
better traveler!  I need to practice a lot and not just wait for o&m
instructors to come every once in a while.
 My mom and sister are still apprehensive.
That was the coolest Christmas I gave someone this year.
Tom