Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!yale!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89!William.Wilson From: William.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (William Wilson) Newsgroups: misc.handicap Subject: Re: ON PUBLIC RELATIONS Message-ID: <19029@bunker.isc-br.com> Date: 24 Apr 91 22:47:09 GMT Sender: wtm@bunker.isc-br.com Reply-To: William.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA Lines: 49 Approved: wtm@bunker.hcap.fidonet.org Index Number: 15205 [This is from the Blink Talk Conference] errible person? Maybe I should hold weekly NF> question and answer sessions about Barney. Whatcha think? Are NF> there any easy answers to this problem? Do others even consider NF> this a problem? Nancy, I would be very surprised to hear that this wasn't a problem for any of us guide dog users! This is actually more of a problem for me now than it had been for the almost 12 years I worked old Strider, as my new dog is so full of love and exhuberance, he seems to attract attention from bystanders beyond anything I ever experienced before. I only wish I had a solution for you, but not only am I still looking for one myself, I vary in my response to the inquisitive most every time they approach me! As you said, it is most bothersome when you are in a restaurant and someone interrupts your conversation with their questions, and I have admittedly been somewhat short in response at times in this case. Likewise, I have actually had people reach out and go to pet LeeRoy as I was working him down the sidewalk, and a couple of these times I was rather abrupt with my "Yo man, he's working!" I'm not proud of this, but even accounting for the ignorance of the general public to us and our companions, this strikes me as being beyond stupid! As I've told many people, I never met a blind person before I was one, but I am sure that even I as a sighted person had more sense than to reach out and pet a guide dog as it was doing its thing! Ok, ok, now that I got that off my chest, and I suppose this is the best place to do those things, I will remember to do the right thing and say, the next time it happens, "Excuse me sir or madam (Yes, I'll say sir or madam even though most likely the gender will be obvious, just because it might cause them to wonder how blind people recognize sex!) would you please not bother my dog while he is working? I am glad that you recognize a fine animal when you see one, and I'm sure that he considers you an outstanding creature too, but he is busy with his job right now." If, however, my next encounter is in a restaurant, I'll just reach for my wallet, say, "Oops, forgot to bring my charge card!", and then offer them a seat right by the check to discuss guide dogs and how we use them to get around. Willie ... Like a bat out of Bellevue! -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89!William.Wilson Internet: William.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org