[stylist] addressing audio cues and travel and the such

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

Hello list,

 

Here is something I wrote up about a travel experience since we have been discussing different methods of independent travel.  Perhaps this makes for a good writing prompt.  It can be non-fiction or make something up.  Think outside the box too.  Here is my first attempt.  It is based on myself.

 

A Day for Travel
 
I stood in the warmth of the entry preparing myself for the icy blast of the February morning.  Heat streamed from the vent above me, and I reveled in its embrace!  To stall for time, I checked to make sure I was properly bundled, then I lifted the face of my Braille watch and felt the small dots and arrows that indicated the time.  It was now or never, I knew, as I took a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open.  I felt the instant change in temperature, and my teeth began to chatter.  I slid my long white cane forward and found the first step down, then the next, then the final step.  The doors faced East, and I heard the crunching and grumbling of the cars that drove along Fourth Street.  I turned myself to the right to begin my jaunt around the block.
As I stepped with my right foot I tapped the cane to the left attempting to keep it at least in a shoulder width arc.  My black high-heels clicked and clacked as my pace grew faster with my rising confidence.  My nerves slowed, and I started paying attention to my surroundings, using the alternative techniques I had been learning for the last couple of weeks.
As I passed the alley separating the training center from the Wood Smiths Shop, I heard the noise from the far side, and the wind whipped through pushing me to the edge of the curb.  My cane slid down the curb, distinguishing the street from the sidewalk, and I knew not to step to the left.  As I arced the cane, I found the parking meters that lined the street.  I was half way down the street, and I could make out the cars traveling down Grand Avenue up ahead.  As I approached the corner, I wrinkled my nose at the grease and dough smell that permeated the air from Domino’s.  The air vent leaking the odor clanked in the wind, and I held my breath as I passed through the noxious fumes!  I arced my cane wider searching for any objects as I rounded the corner.  My cane tapped against the first cement planter and I side stepped it as I continued my journey west.  So far so good, I thought to myself.
I started listening for the parking garage I knew was coming up and stopped when my cane found the curb.  I listened to determine whether any cars were passing through the garage entrance, then I crossed the drive.  My cane found the opposite curb, and I stepped up and continued on.
At the second corner, I heard the buzzing and tinkering that came from the auto shop.  Today the sound was not muffled since the garage door was open, despite the cold.  I felt a slight change in the air around me, and the cars rambling along Fifth Street grew subdued as I realized that I had walked into the garage.  I stepped back outside and caned nearer the curb to keep my course.
I noticed I was moving up an incline and knew I was walking up the ramp to the other side of the parking garage that encompassed most the block.  I turned around and lined myself up by paying attention to where the warmth of the sun landed on my head.  Even in winter, you can make out the direction of the sun on a bright day, though it is much easier during warmer months!
I was once again upon the alley, but I slowed this time as I heard a beeping that grew in intensity as I approached.  My cane soon started sliding underneath a vehicle, so I tapped around it to find the sidewalk again and avoid the truck.  It must be the mail delivery truck, I thought.  I kept my arm in front of and above me, in case I came across a mirror on the truck.  A few feet after the truck, I found the stairs that would take me to the back door of the training center, but I was suppose to travel the whole block.  I could not wait to be out of the cold and was extremely tempted to cheat!  I did not, though!
Finally I was at the home stretch and quickened my pace as I was eager to be back in the warmth of the building.  About a third of the way down, I moved closer to the building and tapped my cane against the brick side.  I was looking for the stairs and found them at last.  I held my cane a step ahead of me so I knew when to step then slid my cane along the glass door seeking the handle.  I stepped inside, and my body tingled as the heat wave engulfed me.
I flexed my numb hands and felt an internal heat as I had a sense of pride over my first outdoor travel lesson without my instructor.
 

Bridgit
 		 	   		  
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