i went to the braille institute today.
it's for the blind.
blind people walking confidently around with their white canes. some of them look quite sighted.
some are handsome. some are old. all are peaceful. happy to be there.
in the braille institute blind people are king and everyone is Very Nice. for real.
a white-haired lady volunteer taught a "full blind" class of ladies how to knit. she's been working there since 1975. a student held up her scarf. i didn't know if i should complement her on the color. it was salmon.
later they paired us up two by two and we practiced both leading, and Being the blind. it was fun. disorienting.
they tell you that if you are leading a blind person, you should be very detailed and specific about everything that going on in terms of anything that comes up. different kinds of ground surface. hazards. changes. you have to keep up a running commentary of all possible things, and they have to trust you completely.
whew!
but...the guide tells us, everyone who assists the blind will develop their own personal style of how they deliver the commentary.
hmm. like a comedy sketch? a routine? what about the style of contemplative inner monologue?
to listen to it, it's fabulous and frustrating at the same time. sorta like hamlet.
it reminds me of how, when i'm with my mom in the car, she'll randomly call out signs and warnings as we're driving by. signs of auto shops and tanning salons. traffic advice. "bob and barbara's shoe repair" "dew drop inn". and "watch out that car's gonna cut you off."
it's marginally irritating.
but apparently, i do it too. so i've been told. and...i'm guess i'm okay with that.
i too love to call out 'tommy burger." "baller hardware." "speed bump."
i think i'm going to like working there. i like to call out signs for the blind.
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