[nfb-talk] New THOUGHT PROVOKER- Pay Attention

[Robert Leslie Newman]

NFBtalk listers 
RE:  Pay Attention 

Have you as a blind traveler been inattentive, like walked along and wasn't
really paying attention?  This newest TP is a true story, happened just like
this, to me.  So now I better pay attention; hope I keep it up.  had an
experience If you have not read the PROVOKER, it follows.  Recall that I
collect responses and post them upon my web site for all the WWW to read and
learn from and that URL is temporarily back to my original URL of
http://whitsacre.info/vip  If you wish to receive THOUGHT PROVOKERS sent
directly to you, just write me and ask, at-  newmanrl at cox.net 

THOUGHT PROVOKER 110
Pay Attention

"Pay attention Dude, you've got the only set of eyes here; though they are
only hooked up to a doggy brain."  Said Mark.  He and his long time friend
Miranda and her new dog guide were at the crosswalk of a very busy
intersection.  "I'd hate to get creamed by a half dozen cars on my way to
the coffee shop.  So let's save the cream for the java, Dude."

"Mark, don't you be bad!  Polo is young, but he's  shaping up to be a great
guide."  Miranda leaned down and stroked the alert dog's head.  "And if you
aren't sweet, Polo here, won't share any of his biscuits with you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."  Mark continued in a tone of light humor.  "You guys get
around great.  I'm just thinking about how they say dogs are color blind, so
I'd just suggest that you tell young Polo to pay attention to the cars and
not watch the lights."

"Oh shut up and get your cane moving."  Miranda said, stepping out as the
flow of traffic had shifted, cars at their left stopping.  "And you're going
to buy." 

Cane tapping, Mark kept pace off Miranda's shoulder.  "Sorry, I didn't hear
what you just said, but I sure heard the traffic patterns change to our
favor."

Later, finishing at the coffee shop, Miranda rose first.  "I need to stop by
the department store and pick up something."

Approaching the entrance to the multi-level store building, Mark said,
"Those revolving-doors sure stand out; great sound-cue." 

"Yeah, Polo is real good about judging when to get in."  And dog and woman
team stepped in and were gone.

Mark reached out with the shaft of his cane, found the moving edge of a door
section and quickly followed.

Inside they took the escalator up.  Then after getting business over,
Miranda said, "Hey, we might as well take the elevators.  They're right here
in the corner and down on first they're right where the outside doors are
for the direction we need to go."

"Okay, sliding or lifting or walking down, it's  all down to me."  Said
Mark.

At the elevator, Mark arrived first and pressed the button.  "Ever notice
that most times they station a waste can or can of some type right under
where the buttons are?"  Tapping the receptacle with his cane tip as he
spoke.  "Makes it easier, so ah, we 'CAN' find them."

With the sound of the doors opening, Mark said, "Four-legs before two."
Giving his friend a slight bow.

"Sure, right."  Said Miranda.  "Forward."  She commanded Polo.  "Polo,
Hup-Hup, forward."  She said again to her non-responsive guide.

"STOP!  Back up!"  Yelled a woman who had just arrived at the elevators.
"There's nothing there!"  And the doors banged shut.

"No."  Said a second woman.  "I think it was those black inner-doors."

"No!"  Said the first woman.  "I saw cables."

"OH MY GOD!"  Said Miranda.  "I stuck my foot in there and all there was.was
air!"  

"Good boy, Polo!  You paid attention."  Said Mark, gripping his cane,
thinking back over how often he had stepped into elevators with little or no
thought.


Robert Leslie Newman 
Email- newmanrl at cox.net
Web Site- http://www.whitsacre.info/vip