We are having some beautiful sunny hot weather here on the south coast at the moment. So having taken my beautiful black long haired guide dog out for a good walk earlier this morning before the heat picked up, I needed to pop into town.
So out came the good olde faithful cane….. And off I went.
I have to alter how I use my cane in some shops in town, with their lovely smooth floors no-one can hear me if I use the roller tip and glide it along. So I need to go back to the basic ‘tap tap’ figure of eight so I can be heard and noticed.
Having done my shopping in the store with the big W on the front! I was walking to the exit when a kind gentleman asked if I needed assistance locating the lift, as the store is set into a hill at the back.
I thanked him for his offer, but asked if he could he so kind as to navigate me towards the escalator instead.
He sounded surprise at my request! And was concerned for my safety, so offered to come down with me. I did explain this was not necessary, but he insisted.
So down the escalator we went together (it’s on about half a flight of stairs long)
When we reached the bottom I thanked him, he then went to go back up the escalator to continue his shopping (as I hadn’t realised he wasn’t actually leaving!) So I politely and quietly followed him back up to the store.
When at the top, he asked if I was ok? So I explained that I was perfectly fine.
I went on to explain that as a guide dog user, I was unable to use escalators when working with her, so in a ‘kid in a sweet shop’ kind of excitement I was making the most of the experience !!
It sent him away with a smile on his face and me with a lovely piece of advice from him,
“Take time to do the ‘silly little things’ in life, because they often sculpt you into the sensible person you become”
So yes, I was the grown woman who rose the escalators today. But it is a little thing that I miss, that many take for granted. So I made the most of it and enjoyed myself.
I can’t see if people where looking at me, and as such I no longer worry about what they are thinking !!
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