The funny side to being blind
I have been blind for almost five years now and it has been extremely hard at times. I could write pages and pages about the hard times I have been through but I thought I would explain instead some of the funny experiences I have also found.
Two years ago while waiting outside a shop in Hereford I hadn’t realised I was stood at a crossing next to a busy road. Suddenly two elderly women approached me and asked if I wanted to cross. Before I had a chance to explain that I was only stood outside waiting for a friend to come out of the shop they had taken my arms in theirs and began guiding (frog marching) me across to the other side! I then had to politely thank them and wait until they had gone – before crossing back over.
There have also been times when I have arranged to meet a friend in a certain place at a certain time and ten minutes later we are both stood almost next to each other and only realised when I’ve phoned her to find out where she was!
I have also mistook someone speaking on their phone as them talking to me and each time they spoke I answered and only realised when they sarcastically spoke (into the phone) about an idiot who was answering them each time that they spoke.
One funny but embarrassing situation I found myself in not long ago was going into the men’s toilets instead of the ladies. Only realising when I tried to wash my hands in the urinal and then rushing in horror to the exit as the door opened and a male entered, confused and asking me if he was in the wrong toilets!
As you can see from these situations being blind is not only a negative and horrible experience but it does have its entertaining side as well.
Emma Gilfoyle