[stylist] Robert's gratitude submission

Tue Nov 27 17:39:20 UTC 2012

Robert,
I found this  to be a good clarification of what mentoring is and what can
be accomplished. It is particularly pertinent for me, at age 83, in that it
describes perfectly how I open my front door with it's security door, and
listen carefully. I seldom let on that I am blind before being sure of whom
I am talking to. 
The white cane remark might have been superfluous if the woman was totally
blind. Another small detail is that, in pouring something hot into a cup, I
don't think one pokes the entire finger into the cup. It is more the tip of
the finger over the edge far enough to keep it from over-filling.
I remember, my first experience was in pouring orange juice into a glass
which was upside down. At that point, I'd had no instruction in anything. 

Also, I did not know that mentoring involved just one with more experience
than the mentee. I thought there had to be a tested level of expertise.
Also, I would have liked it if the girls had touched the older woman's face
and throat to actually feel the wrinkles since so much of blindness is the
tactual experience.
I do not believe that you explained the vision loss of the younger girls.
Was it severe, total in either case? You did a good job of explaining the
macular degeneration of the older woman.
I am so glad you have this thought-provoker series. It did, indeed, make me
think about mentoring, and it pointed out the mutual learning that happens
in any mentoring situation.
I thank you for your work.
Jacqui

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Robert Leslie
Newman
Sent: Friday, November 23, 2012 3:48 PM
To: 'writers nfb'
Subject: [stylist] Robert's gratitude submission

Hi you all. Below and attached is my short piece of fiction that I would
appreciate your assistance in making it as good as it can be. this is one of
my THOUGHT PROVOKERS, a series that I ran for 11 years; all 154 of them can
be found upon my personal website, URL at the bottom of all my emails. I am
working my way through them in order to --- improve them. (They are still
being used by many blind related agencies, college programs  for counseling
purposes and training of new staff. 

THOUGHT PROVOKER 118

The Mentor

"What does the term mentoring mean?" Asked the teacher. She was addressing
10 blind students--five high school students paired with five elementary
students. 

"Mentoring is what happens when you have a more experienced person teaching
someone who has less experience." Spoke up Bree, the soft red curls of the
precocious, totally blind 10-year-old bounced as she delivered her answer.

"Hee-hee, it can be fun, too!" Volunteered Chelsea, Bree's partner, a tall
dark-haired, partially sighted-15-year-old, who was at an awkward stage in
life (giggles and absent-mindedness).

"Very good you two. Now class, let us re-visit our goals in terms of
mentoring. First there is the obvious in how you are paired, one high school
and one elementary student. Then in regard to our second major mentoring
experience for this program, each of you pairs will be assigned to mentor an
elderly person who is new to blindness."

The next day, Chelsea and Bree arrived at the home of their mentee. Chelsea
rang the doorbell. The inner-door was opened by an elderly woman. "Yes?" She
said through the closed screen door.

"Hi." Answered Chelsea. 

Stepping out from where her taller partner had thoughtlessly blocked her
from view, Brie interjected, "Mrs. Johnson. I'm Bree and this is Chelsea. We
are your mentors."  

"Oh yes girls, excuse me. A person with poor vision can't be too cautious."
Said the woman, unlocking and opening the door. 

"If I had been in front, you probably could have seen my white cane and knew
it was us." Said Bree, trying to be tactfully helpful.

"Possibly, young lady. Hold still and let me have a look at the two of you."
Said Mrs. Johnson, stepping close, turning her head to the side using her
peripheral vision. "Pretty. Now how about we go into the kitchen, have tea
and get to know one another."

Seated at the table Mrs. Johnson said, "I'm sorry I'm going to have to ask
one of you to pour. With my vision I'm filling the saucer, as often as I
fill the cup." 

"Oh please, let me." Chelsea said, jumping up. 

"Excuse me, Chelsea!" The force of commitment in Bree's voice, grabbed the
moment, "We are here to teach and here's our first opportunity. --- Mrs.
Johnson, put your hands on top of mine and I'll show you how I would do it."

Hands positioned, Bree continued. "Okay, here's the pot; good it's not too
heavy. There's my cup. See how I bring the spout over, feel it right above
the cup --- when you tilt the pot, feel it touch the rim and my finger,
too?"

"Yes and your finger is poking down into the cup."

"Yes, I'm a little nervous and don't want to overfill it." Answered Bree, a
small self-conscious grin sounding in her voice. 

The three of them talked and talked and had a great visit.

Next day- "Okay mentor teams, time to report. You've had your first visit."
Said the teacher. 

Bree and Chelsea were the third to report. "We had an awesome visit." Said
Chelsea. "We go back next week."

"Mrs. Johnson is 72." Reported Bree. "She has macular degeneration, that's
where you lose your central vision and she told us all about it." Bree went
on to tell of those things she and her partner taught their mentee. "My most
favorite part was when Mrs. Johnson talked to me about ageing as a woman." 

"What?" Chelsea wined in a puzzled tone.

"That was when you took your marathon bathroom break.Anyway, she discussed
how you must change your attitude and do things differently as you get
older. And, I'm embarrassed to divulge this, but I never knew what age
wrinkles were like. I mean, my grandparents all died when I was young and so
I never got to know them. But now I know about wrinkles, Mrs. Johnson showed
me."

"Ee-U!" Said Chelsea, her tone leaving no doubt of her feelings.

Turning to her partner, hand on hip Bree said, "I beg your pardon. In all
due respect to the dignity of Mrs. Johnson, she showed me the wrinkles on
her hands and then the loose and sagging skin of her forearm. So to sum up,
I mean, we were there to teach Mrs. Johnson about blindness, but she taught
us about ageing, too. I learned that mentoring can happen both ways." 

Robert Leslie Newman

President, NFB Writers' Division

Division Website

 <http://www.nfb-writers-division.net/> http://www.nfb-writers-division.net

Chair, Communications committee

Personal Website-

 <http://www.thoughtprovoker.info/> http://www.thoughtprovoker.info