[Blindtlk] Cool news during Christmas

[Marion Gwizdala]

Tom,

	The greatest gift you gave this Christmas was one you gave yourself.
You enhanced your confidence which will serve you very well in the long run
in your life as an independent blind guy! Keep stretching and daring to walk
the razor's edge to live the life you want!

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala



-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tom Cramer
via blindtlk
Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2014 2:15 PM
To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Blindtlk] Cool news during Christmas

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

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