Intrusions part 47 - tunnel vision

A stranger:

“You’re blind are you mate? What, is it tunnel vision or what?”

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

At the bus stop (from January 2006)

  I loved this one – it has happened almost word for word so many times, but this is probably the longest anyone’s gone without interruption. .   One bus stop episode Me: “Excuse me, would you tell me when you see the 48 or 49 coming please?”   Them: “Do you know where you’re going?”   Me: “Yes, I need the 48 or 49”   Them: “Where are you going?   Me: “Easton”   Them: “Now, you need the 48 or 49. You stay there and I’ll tell you when I see it... Are you going to be alright?... Stay there, it’s not coming yet... It’s alright, don’t panic, I’m not going anywhere... Don’t worry, I’ll tell you when it comes….. Oh, my bus is here now… you’ll have to ask someone else.. I’ll tell this lady..Excuse me, this blind man doesn’t know where he’s going, he needs a 48 or 49, could you look after him, make sure the...
Read more

'They didn't mean anything by it'

I’ve noticed how common it is that, when talking critically about poor behaviour towards disabled people  and other groups that face discrimination - from rudeness, patronising attitudes to overt discrimination - the criticism is often brushed off with the explanation that the person hadn’t meant anything by it. “they didn’t mean anything by it”.   It’s a funny thing to assert, how does anyone know that someone else who has, to all intents and purposes behaved badly to me or someone else, didn’t mean anything by their words or behaviour. Were they perhaps merely an innocent conduit of unthinking channelling of society’s negativity towards disabled people? Is it that the negative attitudes are so ingrained, that people should not be blamed for innocently adopting them? I find it particularly strange that this excuse is used to cover such a wide range of utterances or behaviours – they can’t all mean nothing, can they? ...
Read more

At Waitrose

In town this afternoon, thought I’d nip into Waitrose to buy a few things.   During my visit, I had to ask two different shop assistants for help. Both were friendly and helpful, they spoke to me without effect and read out all the details I’d asked for without so much as a sigh.   When I reached the checkout, the woman offered to pack my bag, was straightforward and normally helpful.   The whole thing was a comfortable experience. It was frankly slightly unusual that they all knew what my white stick meant without any explanations needed. They didn’t point, treat me like a child  or someone needing over-indulgence. This shouldn’t feel unusual or like a pleasant surprise.
Read more