Lady Lynda ask a blond woman on work acccomdations for the visually impaired. They are drinking gourmet coffee at a local coffee shop. The visually impaired woman replies that various technologies help the sight disabled. A woman with low visions counterargues that people who are blind are superior because their other senses are so much more developed vs non blind person. Lady Lynda is visibly shaken. , quite perplexed. Seymour’s wife queries her friend how can this be a blind person is at an advantage.
Meanwhile Mrs Toze’s visually disabled friend hears the footsteps of the barista. She can tell by the fact the footsteps are getting louder the barista woman is only a foot from her. She turns to face the young employee to wait for the woman to talk. The woman asks if she’d like a refill. She replies yes she would. The coffee shop worker tells her her second cup will there for her shortly. The sightless woman hears the coffee shop workers footsteps getting softer as the worker heads toward the coffee machine.
“See what I mean. If you’ll pardon the expression . Anyhoo see how I could tell how close the barista was by how loud her footsteps were. You witnessed an example of how heightened senses guided me.
LSo that’s how you do it you somehow strengthen your other senses, Neat,” Lady Lynda responded,
Her friend Jayme Nightengale a low vision receptionist.replies that because she can’t see her other senses are greatly improved, They are meeting at a nearby coffee shop near where Downie works. The visually impaired woman is sitting down slowly sipping her coffee. She sips her drink that way because it is still too hot to drink in any other way. Lady Lynda smiles as she thinks how good it is to see her friend. Then she thinks of the words sees her friend and ponders how an innocent phrase can can bring out the differences between them. She wonders too how Jayne feels working at a mostly sighted workplace.
“I feel okay working in a business environment where the
vast majority of my fellow peers are sighted. I feel
sorry for them I doubt they ever think about how to enhance
their senses including their sense of sight like I do”
But you have to” snapped Lady Lynda
“Yes I do and I am truly grateful for that fact. I never
would be capable of strengthening my other senses. I’m
sure you heard the saying “necessity if the motion of
invention”. With blind people like yours truly its losing or
not being with sense makes it necessary to strengthen one’s other
senses,”
“I like how you could sense how close the barista was to you by
the loudness of her footsteps, I’d love for you tell me a new
example”
“How’s this one. I can type fluently 60 words per minute and
I never need to look at the typewriter keyboard. LOL. Seriously its
using what you can and not to feel sorry for what you can’ do”
“in other words its thinking positive. Accenting the
positive. I really like your outlook
Jayme. i learned a lot from you. Particularly on
how to best deal with the situation. Don’t say I can’t.
Say how can I.” Of course assistive technology such as text readers
or magifying aids for those with some sight helps too
Mostly its a positive can do way of thinking.”
“I learned a lot from you Jayne I admire your gumption
Lets toast to your flexbility. ” They toast each other with their
coffee cups.