[Ohio-talk] some thoughts and humor

Wed Feb 17 16:19:15 UTC 2016

Hello, I can usually laugh some of these items off and look forward to
using these times to educate others.  However on yesterday I had a
crazy day, transportation went out the window, arthritis riding me
down, I did not eat and had a terrible headache. On time for doctor's
appointment, bad cold and the office was behind with everyone
sneezing, coughing and complaining.
After seeing the doctor, lab work was needed. The lab next to my
doctor's office was closed and I needed assistance to the other lab
that is in the bastement of a different building. So transportation
was called... she arrives, looks at me and loudly announces that she
is going to get a wheel chair. Everyone yells back, no she can walk,
she races from the waiting area and returns with the chair. I stand up
and quietly say that I do not need it. She tries to sit me down in the
chair, I resist and loudly say I'm not getting in it! She quietly says
OK, let's go. We chat and I explain to her how to do sighted guide and
she admits that this was her third day on the job and she did not know
and we are all smiles. We arrive at the lab, place my requisition in
the  window and the woman there begins to yell, who brought you here ?
Are you alone? How did you get here? I thank the transport person and
tell her she can leave me and she almost runs from the area. I then
say nothing to this woman in the window, I jjust stand there and try
to smile. She tells me it will be a few mins and to have a seat. There
are others in the waiting room that are chuckling. As I take my seat a
friendly fellow asks me if my cane is expandable, I am happy to
educate and he is happy to tell me that he knows other blind people
and already knows all of this. While waiting, another man sits behind
me and is trying to get his coat off and somehow grabs my hair and
starts pulling so I pull back, lol! He finally stops and apologizes
while others are really laughing and I laugh as I recover my locks.
The woman in the window comes to the door and calls my name and walks
off, I get to the door just as she returns and loudly says are you
alone? Who is with you? That did it, I loudly exclaim Who are you
looking for, maybe someone can help you and step away from the door so
she can see the waiting room, now people are really cracking up. She
then grabs me by the coat and says come with me, I say no. She then
asks me how can she assist me and I show her sighted guide. Before I
sit down again she is grabbing my coat and I ask her to stop, she says
Oh so you are an independent one? I begin to sweat and she knows that
that was the wrong thing to say. She draws my blood, one stick and
asks me again what she should do to help. I did not tell her because I
was too tired and angry and I was afraid of what I would say. I am
sure today will be better than yesterday, it is National Random Acts
of Kindness Day! Cheryl !

On 2/13/16, Karen L Warner via Ohio-talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
>
> Marianne Denning via Ohio-talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>I am back home after attending the NFB state convention.  I have to
>>say this was one of the most productive, active and interesting state
>>conventions I have attended.  We do have our work cut out for us and I
>>am anxious to get started.  I also read this information and thought I
>>would post it here.  For those who were at the convention, look at
>>number 5.
>>
>>17 Easy Ways To Make A Blind Person’s Day
>>
>>1. When introducing yourself, use loud, exaggerated speech. Since
>>we’re blind, it’s safe to assume we’re a little dim, too.
>>2. Don’t speak directly to us. It’s always best to talk over our heads
>>like we’re not there at all, especially if you are offering a service.
>>Example:
>>“What would she like to order?” Be sure to ignore our attempts to
>>answer for ourselves.
>>3. Grab or otherwise manipulate our bodies whenever and wherever you
>>deem necessary. For example, if you intuitively perceive that we’re
>>going the wrong
>>way (even if you haven’t asked where that is) just snatch the nearest
>>limb and lead on, Macduff!
>>4. If you aren’t in a position to grab us, you can always shout
>>instructions in the hope that we’ll know what you’re talking about. If
>>we look baffled,
>>just keep repeating the instructions in an increasingly frantic tone.
>>We’ll clue in eventually.
>>5. Remind us often how grateful we should be that people are willing
>>to provide accommodations for us. While it’s unlikely that we will
>>ever, ever forget
>>this for more than five minutes at a time, it’s a good idea to slam
>>the thought home when we’re not expecting it. It builds character.
>>6. Stage loud conversations about us while we’re in the room, because
>>we won’t hear. If we hear, it’s okay, because we won’t understand. If
>>we understand,
>>it’s okay, because we won’t care.
>>7. Keep all conversation firmly focused on blindness. If we try to
>>interject by discussing our education or interests, just redirect us.
>>We get carried
>>away trying to be all normal, so it’s helpful to keep us on track!
>>8. Be sure to describe all the other blind people you’ve ever met, in
>>extravagant detail. We couldn’t be more fascinated by that blind guy
>>who skied, and
>>that other blind guy who went to school with you, and that blind girl
>>you met on the train once—the one with the cute puppy…
>>9. Make a habit of asking us why we’re “here”. If we’re on the bus,
>>ask us why we’re out alone. If we’re at work, ask us how we got the
>>job. If we’re in
>>class, ask us why we’re in university. If we seem offended, ignore us:
>>deep down inside, we really enjoy presumptuous interrogation!
>>10. Dispense advice about how we should live our lives; the less you
>>know us, the more valuable your feedback will be. If you need a good
>>starting point,
>>you can begin by analyzing our mobility tool of choice (cane or dog)
>>and emphatically demanding that we switch. We love that.
>>11. Involve yourself in our love lives, specifying exactly the type of
>>person we should date and why. If you think we should date a sighted
>>person because
>>they’ll be able to take care of us, we’ll want to hear all about it.
>>If you think we should date a blind person because we should “stick to
>>our own kind”
>>we will be all ears!
>>12. Give us things—money, coupons, whatever—because you pity us and
>>want to make our day better. Don’t be phased by any apparent
>>expressions of confusion.
>>(“Oh, that’s just my gratitude face!”)
>>13. Stop us on the street and thank whomever we’re with for
>>helping/taking care of/being so kind to us. It’s not as though we have
>>real friends who genuinely
>>enjoy our company. No: if we’re out with a sighted person, they are
>>fulfilling a purely charitable role. They will appreciate your praise,
>>and we will
>>feel extra extra grateful!
>>14. Place your hands on us in any public place and pray. If we gently
>>explain that we don’t want to be prayed for, rest assured that it’s
>>just the secular
>>cynicism doing the talking. When our sight is miraculously restored,
>>you’ll be the first to know.
>>15. Make as many potentially dangerous practical jokes as you can
>>think of. A few good ideas include warning us of imaginary obstacles
>>(“Watch out for
>>that tree-just kidding!”), concealing our possessions, and encouraging
>>us to “find” you while you run gleefully around us in circles. These
>>were a staple
>>of primary school, and I treasure many pleasant memories from that
>>era. Do me a favour, and bring back the nostalgia!
>>16. Refer to us as “that blind person” even after you know our names.
>>Blindness is so integral to our identities that our names are really
>>just decorative,
>>so there’s no need to remember or use them. If we fail to answer to
>>“Hey, blind girl/guy!” just keep trying. We’ll learn to love it.
>>17. Assume that our default status is “Help!” If we reassure you that
>>we’re okay, thanks, don’t fall for it. Insisting upon rescuing us
>>every time we cross
>>paths places us into a position of dependence, which is exactly where we
>> belong.
>>
>>
>>
>>--
>>Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
>>Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
>>(513) 607-6053
>>
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