The Mandolin Player
May 13, 2018 20:37:42 #
Sometimes, real incidents get really strange comments. I worked in a restaurant in Boston for some time - usually the closing shift. I would get out early enough that I missed the "Lush Rush", but would occasionally have some odd interactions with other passengers on the "T".
One night, I was sitting on the train with only one other person, sitting down a few feet from me. The train stops at Harvard Square, and this gentleman, wearing a white tux jacket, undone black bow-tie, carrying a mandolin and a very large book gets on and sits opposite the two of us. Soon, he opens the book and started to move his fingers over it - and I realize that he is blind and - reading Braille! This is cool - he travels on the train, by himself, seems to have it "all together", and probably has some talent on his mandolin.
The gentleman closes the book and adjusts the mandolin when "Leverett Circle" is announced, stands, and exits the train when it rolls into the station. I turn to the guy next to me and say: "This guy really does OK". His response: "Not really. He moves his lips when he reads".
One night, I was sitting on the train with only one other person, sitting down a few feet from me. The train stops at Harvard Square, and this gentleman, wearing a white tux jacket, undone black bow-tie, carrying a mandolin and a very large book gets on and sits opposite the two of us. Soon, he opens the book and started to move his fingers over it - and I realize that he is blind and - reading Braille! This is cool - he travels on the train, by himself, seems to have it "all together", and probably has some talent on his mandolin.
The gentleman closes the book and adjusts the mandolin when "Leverett Circle" is announced, stands, and exits the train when it rolls into the station. I turn to the guy next to me and say: "This guy really does OK". His response: "Not really. He moves his lips when he reads".
May 14, 2018 07:48:26 #
May 14, 2018 09:39:33 #
This is an excellent story about the unrealistic expectations that those who have no impairments have of those who do. It's not about how far one might have come, but the small imperfections left undone.
May 14, 2018 18:39:27 #
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