Writings about Ataxia, being DeafBlind, family life. The best life can offer!


Going incognito

Hey folks!

Yesterday was a fun day!

Usually whenever I go out into the community, I always have some form of identity; something screams “This man is Blind!” or “This man has a mobility issue!”.

Yesterday, however I went incognito, because I wanted to have both hands available to help my mom and aunt get from home, onto a bus, then onto the Skytrain.  They had two suitcases and a walker filled with travel necessaries.  They are going on a cruise!

Anyhow, we got to our goal (Skytrain) without any problems, and Mum & her sister got on the Skytrain and zoomed all the way to the airport!  That was part of the adventure!

So, after that, I was hungry and wanted to get something to eat, but opted to eat at home.

I first needed to use the bathroom.  I head to a mall and zip upstairs, zip in & out of the bathroom and then try a different way to get downstairs.  Through the parking lot!

I find one door, but see a “Emergency Exit” so avoid that door.  I walk a bit and find another door, which has glass on the door, like the one into the parking lot.  So I head to that and zoom through, only to be greeted by a quiet “rrrah rrrah rrrah” or something like that.  Oh great, the door was alarmed!  Had I been hearing, it would have probably been “RRRRRAAAHHHH” instead a minor whimper.

I don’t bother to stop, just keep going!  I’m in the back hall.  You know, “Employees only” areas!  Where employees can goof off and be their true customer-hating selves!  Big grin!

I find a way out of this area, and then exit the mall.  I did not make any “mad dash” to freedom because I had done nothing wrong.

It is obvious that the alarm was not a true emergency alarm, but more like a warning for employees who wanted to play hooky!

I was such a rebel without my white cane!

Have a good day!

 

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About the author

Craig MacLean is DeafBlind with ataxia, a rare condition called CAPOS. He & his wife of 22 years have two sons, the oldest of which has CAPOS as well.

Craig uses American Sign Language to communicate. He is an avid writer, friend, Hot Wheel collector and intervenor advocate.

Craig sits on many committees, boards and associations as a DeafBlind rep. He graduated university with a BA in psychology in 2000.