[nagdu] Nixon saves my life

[Jen&Nixon]

Nixon's guidework was *PHENOMENAL* yesterday!!!! It certainly brings my mood
to extremely cheerful and chatty to the point of driving my mother up the
wall (LEAVE ME ALONE I AM TRYING TO STUDY!)
 
I had to go to an unfamiliar place, the city hall, to pick up a document
before the next AAC meeting next week, scanning a document, but looks like I
will be dealing with a different document instead *grin*
 
Anyhow, I walked there, and crossed the intersection. This is where the new
thing begins. At this point, i was not sure if the construction of the front
area of the building had been completed, sure enough it was, as I didn't
seem to see any yellow tape in front of me. In new areas, I am considered
functionally blind, as all I can see is just basically colours and shapes. I
new the building was in front of me, I told Nixon forward. I decided to let
him take over from then at that point. We discovvered stairs, that were grey
in colour that blended in so much I had no idea if tiwas stairs or some kind
of wall. Nixon took his time up since I couldn't reocgnize any possibilities
of a handrail for me to grab on. Once we reached the top, I assumed I had
reached the main floor, note that we were still outside. I knew we were
close. "Nixon, find the door." I just lead him the way. I didn't even know
where the doors were, I knew they'd be on my right, but at what point to
direct him. I praised him as he cautiously moved me around posts (?) and he
did find doors; not windows, but DOORS!!!! He got major praise. Once I got
inside past the double-doors, at this point, I knew the reception area was
to my left for general questions/enquiries etc, but to my right, I had no
idea. This is as far I've ever walked in this building... "Nixon, find the
elevator." He took me to the right, up to a glass wall at first, I repeated
again, "Find the elevator". He turned me around and stopped right at the
elevator doors, which was *BRIGHT RED*. This is the only place in town that
I know that has a talking elevator that sounds like it has a British
accent... no wait, there is the university, otherwise, everything else it
doesn't and I have to rely on the braille or large visual landmarks to tell
me where I am. I headed up to the second floor. I looked left once I got off
the elevator, only to see a room to the right, that looked like a meeting
room, but was not sure, so I told Nixon left, and saw something blue, and
told Nixon to find the counter... INCREDIBLE!!!! Retracing my steps back out
was very easy, since I had to come back to city hall later as the materials
I originally wanted to pick up was out, so they had to photocopy them for
me.
 
*take break to pet kitty sitting on my arm-rest of my chair*
 
Now, here's where everything went amazing!!! The second time I visited the
city hall, I went out to go back to Tim Hortons where Mom was studying for
school. We reached the curb, a four-way intersection that is usually
particularly quiet and no issues. I saw a vehicle heading in the opposite
direction of my parellel, once that vehicle started to move, I said, "Nixon
... Forward". Another vehicle that was parellel to me on my right, must've
sped up since at the time of visual and auditory check, he wasn't there, so
must've been speeding, since I had only crossed half-way when Nixon *SHOVED*
me hard to the left ... so hard, when I saw the truck in my line of vision
speeding right in front of me!!!! I thought Nixon was veering for some
reason, puddles maybe, but it was a tremendous traffic check. That truck was
fairly close to me, that I didn't even hear turning either! Once I
approached the curb, i stopped and praised Nixon up quite well. It is
extremely rare I encounter such drastic traffic checks in my area since 90%
of the time, people are extremely aware of right-of-way, etc.
 
I thought I was dragging me feet and Nixon waking me up shoving me hard!!!!
 
My baby saved my life, I can't imagine what could have happened if I used my
white cane! I shared mom this story, and dad as well, this occurence, and
they were shaking there head!
 
I *had* to brag about this phenomenal guide-work of his! Even his curb
approaches and stairs were absolutely phenomenal..... 
 
What a better dog could I ask for?
 
Jennifer McEachen and "Nixon"
Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc.
Alumni Association Board of Directors and secretary
jenandnixon at gmail.com / jmceachen at guidedogs.com