[nfbmi-talk] Blind mechanic fixes machines by touch, sound

[Marcus Simmons]

It looks like I'm not the only person currently working on internal 
combustion
engines these days.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "J.J. Meddaugh" <jj at bestmidi.com>
To: "NFB of Kalamazoo Michigan List" <nfb-kzoo at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2011 4:28 PM
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Blind mechanic fixes machines by touch, sound


> >From WWMT
>        PORTAGE, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Sometimes a disability is a wall
> blocking a person
> from doing something, sometimes it's simply a hurdle to be jumped, as is
> the case
> for a business owner in Portage.
> Some people can look at a broken snow blower all day and not know how to
> fix it.
> Then, there's Steve Scott.
> He can't look at the snow blower but absolutely can fix it.
> You can see the gears are turning in Steve Scott's head as he gets a feel
> for what's
> wrong with the snow blower he's working on.
> "I don't know what it looks like but if you feel it, you can see they're
> all worn
> right there in the center," Scott said, talking about the machine's gears.
> This is how Scott diagnoses his patient, by touch and sound alone.
> "I am totally blind. I was born with congenitive glaucoma," said Scott.
> "You guys
> would call it a visual inspection, but I feel the machine, make sure the
> cables aren't
> frayed or broken, inspect the belts, make sure they're not dry-rotted or
> cracked.
> "Then you start the engine up. You can listen to it and just tell by the
> way it's
> running if something is not right."
> It's not exactly the way most mechanics do things.
> "They just look at it and say that's fine. I don't have that luxury. I
> can't guess
> and can't assume. I don't know if it's a sixth sense or what it is. I'm
> not sure,"
> said Scott.
> Scott started 'Something for all Seasons' a few years back with his wife,
> Rhonda,
> who is also blind.
> "I had a condition called retinal blastoma, which in a nut shell is cancer
> of the
> retinas," said Rhonda.
> "Rhonda is the big backbone behind this business," said Scott.
> "My role is filing the customer interaction," said Rhonda.
> she uses a brailer and a screen reader to do her work.
> She says business is a little slow right now.
> "Right now, we're waiting for a big snow to draw some business. but
> normally business
> is good," said Rhonda.
> Steve says business is normally good because customers, though sometimes
> surprised
> at first, see the quality of his work and trust him.
> And it's their confidence in him that helps Steve push to make his
> business successful
> and one of many things give him a positive outlook on life.
> "I love what i do. I look forward to getting up every morning," he said.
> "It doesn't
> matter if you're blind, deaf, cripple doesn't matter your color, creed,
> where you
> come from - if you want something in life, go get it."
> You can find more information about Something for all Seasons at their
> website
> http://www.somethingforallseasons.com/
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