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16FOCUS-JUNE2012Pleaseturntopage18ApproachandAnnounceDonx19tbeafraidtoapproachandintroduceyourself.Eventhoughmostofusblindfolkareexcellentatvoicerecognitionitcantakesometimetolearnthenamesthatgowiththevoices.Iforonehaveagreatabilitytorecallpeoplex19snamessoifyoutellmewhoyouarewhenyouapproachitcansavetheawkwardmomentwhenIhavetoaskx1cWhoareyoux1dUseSpecifcDescriptionsGeronimoandIarefairlyfamiliarwiththestreetsandbuildingsofdowntownPortPerry.Howeversome-timesIndmyselfneedingalittleguidance.OnarecenttriptoFocusonScugogIknewIwasintheareabuthadneverbeentothebuildingbefore.Ipolitelyaskedapassinggentlemanifhecoulddirectmetotheaddress.Whereuponherespondedx1cOhitx19srightovertherex1dindicatingaspotacrossthestreet.Whileasightedpersonwouldappreciatethethor-oughnessofthisresponseIjustsmiledandshookmyhead.x1cThatx19snotgoingtoworkx1dIsaidgesturingtowardsmytrustyguidedog.Embar-rassedthemanapologizedandproceededtoescortmetothefrontdoorofthebuild-ing.LaughingIdidmybesttoreassurehim.Hedidnotseethehumourinitandapologizedprofuselyforhisshortsightedbehaviour.Althoughappreciatedneitherhisapologynorhischauffeuringskillswerenecessary.Infactmostpeoplewithvisionlossareextremelyin-dependent.Generallyprovidingspecicdirectionisallthatx19srequiredtosendusonourwaycondently.Forexamplex1cCrossthestreetturnleftanditx19sthesecondwalkwayyoux19llndontheright.x1dPerfectWeSpeakSightedTooIadmitIamusingthisforumtouncoveroneofmybiggestpetpeeves.Wheninconversationwithapersonwithvisionlosspleasedonotadjustyourlanguagetosoundx1cmoresensitivex1dorx1cpoliticallycorrectx1d.Averbisaverbisaverb.IfthehockeygameisonTVIx19mwatchingit.IfIx19mfamiliarwithamoviethenIx19veseenit.IfIsettledownintheshadewithabookIx19mstillreadingit.AskingifIx1cwatched...errrrrrlistenedx1dtothatTVshoworifIx19vex1cfeltx1dthatbookisbothunnecessaryandslightlyoffensive.Apersonwithamobilityimpair-mentcanstillx1cgoforawalkx1d.Youwouldnx19taskiftheyx1cenjoyedtheirwheelinthesunshinex1dIhope.Youdonx19thavetoadjustyourvocabularytotapersonx19sdisabil-ity.GuideDogEtiquetteMostpeopleareawareofwhataguidedogisandwhyhesheissovaluabletoapersonwithvisionloss.Howeveralotoffolksaredog-loversandwhentheylookintothosebigLabradoreyestheycanx19thelpthem-selves.Itisimportanttorememberthatwhentheharnessisonthedogisworking.Bydistractingtheanimalwithanyattentionwhatsoeveryoucouldbeendangeringthesafetyandthelifeofthehandler.Iamconstantlyamusedbychildrenwhoknowandrespectthex1cdonottouchx1drulewhiletheiradultcom-panionsseeminglycannotcontroltheirdesiretopetmydog.Ioftenhearx1cIknowIx19mnotsupposedtopetyoubut...x1dorx1cIknowyoux19reworkingx1dastheyreachdownandstrokehishead.Ifyoumustthenpleaseasksothattheharnesscanberemovedandthedogwillconsiderhimselfoff-duty.Inrealityifyouencounteraserviceanimalonthejobitx19sbesttoignorethemcompletely.x1cMostpeopleareawareofwhataguidedogisbutwhenalotoffolkslookintothosebigLabradoreyestheyjustcanx19thelpthemselvesx1d....KyleRawnContinuedfrompage15IfIhadtostopandtaketheharnessoffGeronimoforeverypersonthataskedIx19dneverreachmydesti-nation.IrecognizetheattractionasIamadog-lovermyselfbutIsimplyaskfolkstorespectthedogx19sjobthehandlerx19spositionandrestrainyourselfifyoucan.Iwelcomeanyopportunitytomeetnewpeopletosharestoriesandtoeducate.Ifyouhaveanyquestionsorconcernsregardingblindnessorvisionlossaccessi-bilityoryoujustwanttoplayaroundofgolfyoucanreachmeatkyleaccesspros.ca.GeronimoandIarecertainlyexcitedaboutanothersummeroffuninPortPerry.Seeyouaroundtown.ByKyleRawnSpecialtoFocusonScugogx1cPleasedonotadjustyourlanguagetosoundmoresensitiveormorepoliticallycorrect.Itisbothunnecessaryandslightlyoffensivex1d....KyleRawn216QueenStreetPortPerryOntarioL9L1B9Tel905-985-2171Fax905-985-4572www.waggfuneralhome.comMYLESG.Ox19RIORDANFuneralDirectorOwner...PortPerrysonlylocallyownedandoperatedFuneralHomesince1846...