Blind as a bat

[wheelergeezer]

I am reminded of a very interesting story a blind friend of mine told me a few years ago. It has nothing to do with consumer issues really, but is a very interesting story and does make you think. It is 100% genuine and I think most interesting.

 

My blind friend was waiting to cross the road at a pelican crossing.The beeps started so he starts crossing. About 1/2 way across someone walks straight into him and they bump heads. The other person say 'why don't you look where you are going' My friend repies with the obvious 'why don't YOU look where you are going'. The other person replies with the unexpected 'because I am blind!' My friend thought he was taking the obvious and said 'well as you can probably see from my stick, I am blind'.

 

It turned out they were both blind after all.They became very good friends after both having a good laugh about it.

 

Two points came out of that for me. What are the chances of that in reality? Really what are the chances? And secondly, did you see that coming? No pun intended.

 

By all means share this story with others. When I first heard it I was very surprised as I hope you are. As I said, it is genuine. I did meet the other guy, who is also blind and a very nice chap too.

[papasmurf1cx]

That's very funny wheelerG....... when you think that they both use their sticks, no doubt to good effect, the fact the sticks were opposite and furtherest away from where they were makes it scary. I noticed after I became disabled that sighted people automatically see the disabled and subconsciously take avoiding action, except in stores when they are too occupied with their shopping.

[Consumer dude]

That's very funny wheelerG....... when you think that they both use their sticks, no doubt to good effect, the fact the sticks were opposite and furtherest away from where they were makes it scary. I noticed after I became disabled that sighted people automatically see the disabled and subconsciously take avoiding action, except in stores when they are too occupied with their shopping.

 

 

 

 

 

Talking about shopping in stores eg supermarket and the like, why do people always walk into each other when there is plenty of space not to..

[papasmurf1cx]

Talking about shopping in stores eg supermarket and the like, why do people always walk into each other when there is plenty of space not to..

 

Perhaps it is the gravitational pull of their wallets v desire to spend!!

[Consumer dude]

Perhaps it is the gravitational pull of their wallets v desire to spend!!

 

 

 

Perhaps asiles in the supermarket should be one way and people should keep to the left..

[sillygirl1]

Pappasmurf1cx you are living in the same place as me....

 

Last winter I kept getting people offering to help me across the road as I had trouble walking on the snow - particularly when there was ice around as well, I have started a fitness campaign for winter now which includes balance exercises.

 

I don't know if Pappasmurf1cx might know my nephew who became disabled through a snowboarding accident but he has some stories to tell about people treating him badly because he is in a wheelchair.

 

Best one I heard was from a friend who was a victim of the Thalidomide scandal and was born minus limbs on one side, they had parked their car in a disabled spot near a chemist and were about to be ticketed by a warden for parking in a disabled bay. Said warden said they didn't appear to be disabled, at which point my friend calmly removed their false arm and put it across the bonnet of the car, traffic warden turned very white and looked like they were going to faint..... I would love to have seen that!

[Nobnob]

wheelergeezer and sillgirl1 those are both brilliant stories! Gave me a real chuckle!

[papasmurf1cx]

Hey sillygirl......... your are living in the same place as me!!!!! ????? !!!! now I haven't seen you in my house unless you are my wife or daughter. Or perhaps you mean Wimbledon Common?

 

Nice story though.

 

Two Christmases ago I got involved in a road rage incident where a drunken Irishman was looking for a fight. The circumstances aren't really important suffice to say I was in the right and the victim. Anyway this guy parked up and ran over to my car. My son had just gone into the chemist to get my prescription. Said Drunk hammered on my window and was inviting me out for a fight. My wife promptly told me to lock all the doors and started phoning 999. Drunk says if I don't get out he'll smash window and drag me out!!!

 

Anyway I was pretty annoyed at him and whilst he went to the rear of my car out of the road which was busy, he started taking off his jacket.

 

Silly papasmurf gets out and hops on his remaining leg to said drunken Irishman and says..... "Oh your a big man taking on a disabled person"

 

Said drunk Irishman's jaw dropped and as he's picking up and putting on jacket is spluttering apologies and desirous to shake papasmuf's hand.

 

Drunk couldn't get away quickly enough and without handshake.

 

Son returns shaking head wondering what on earth had gone on but not entirely surprised as inexplicable events seem to attract to Papasmurf for no apparent reasons!!

[ErikaPNP]

Loving the story of the blind couple - that's lovely.

 

One of my children has a disability. What happened could have happened to any child regardless of disability, but the disability is significant to the story, because of my other child's reaction. One of the things that is affected is her ability to co-ordinate her movements and balance. It was originally thought to be dyspraxia but now they are saying it could be something else because there are other "symptoms" which aren't linked to dyspraxia. Anyway, we all were out shopping, when I spotted something that might interest my daughter, so I pointed to it and said "look at that". She went to lean forward to take a closer look and promptly stubmled, she did extend her arms to break her fall but her reactions were too late which resulted in her knocking off a good bit of the stock from the shelves. As she fell to the floor she hurt herself and began crying. My main objective was to comfort my upset child.

 

As is always the case there are bystanders who make assumptions, and this couple stood there making comments about about an out of control child having a tantrum and a parent (me) mollycoddling and making the situation worse. Their opinions along with the crash of the stock drew a bit of a crowd, including the manager. The couple blowing matters way out of proportion - they were busy telling the manager that my child had knocked the stock off in a fit of rage, and was still tantruming (no, she was crying, she'd hurt herself in the fall). The manager asked us to leave. I said to him that it wasn't as this couple explained, she'd simply fallen, and if he'd let me I'd help him clear up the mess and pay for any damage to stock. He wasn't having any of it, having already bought this other customer's "story" and proceeded to be very abrupt and rude to us, raising his voice and demanding that we leave immediately.

 

My other child went right up to the manager, wee chest all puffed out and said to the manager that her sister had 'the praxia' (she couldn't pronounce 'dyspraxia'), she couldn't help it, but was trying to get better at the 'hoe-tee-tal' (hospital, we take my other child to the Child development centre at the local hospital) To help you understand the next bit, I'll explain that during these visits we often see children who are visiting the development centre getting help with behavioural and social problems. On occasion while in the waiting room, these children do have outbursts which my daughter found hard to understand. To make my young children understand I explain to them that these children have 'bad moods', it's not their fault and the Dr's are helping them get better, just like they help her sister.

 

She then came out with a classic, and suggested to me in front of the manager that we should take him to the 'hoe-tee-tal' where he could get help with his bad 'modes' (moods). Owned!

[papasmurf1cx]

Erika........... Children are priceless. Reminds me when I was 'guarding' the entrance to a very busy ELC just before Christmas. My wife was shopping and we let my daughter roam free in the store exploring all the toys, hence me guarding the only exit.

 

But as I said it was very busy and somehow she managed to wander out of the shop, out of the shopping centre mall and 300 yards down the High Street, where she then went into another store and started playing with the stock. Luckily an assistant knew that a 2-3 year old was obviously without a parent and called the Police. The Police already knew as my wife and I were panicking by then. I rushed to the shop to pick her up and when I got there, it was obvious I was Dad, but reassuringly the assistant said look here's your Daddy. Priceless............. "That's not my daddy.........." oh well I wonder who is then!!!!!!!!!!