July 7 - I Really Don’t See Very Well!

While I know that I don’t see very well, sometimes I need to explain this to other people. Indeed, this was the case just the other day.

We were away on holidays and our granddaughter was to come to spend a few days with us. Lexi is an avid reader so we decided to go to the library to borrow a few books for her for the time she was going to be with us.

Now I am also an avid reader, but my audible books are all mailed to me from the CNIB Library. I rarely go into the physical space of a library with printed materials. This is all to set the stage for what follows.

Lyle and I were out for a drive and decided that there was time to stop at the library. I didn’t have my white cane with me and I wasn’t wearing my low vision identity badge, but I was sure I could manage. While Lyle went off to the adult section I approached the front desk. I explained about the request for children’s books and asked if she could help me. However, I felt I needed to explain why I couldn’t find the books myself.

As I uttered the phrase, “I don’t see very well,” I leaned forward to make sure she heard. Shmuck! My face planted itself against the plexiglass over the counter. I am not sure who was more surprised - the librarian on the other side of the glass or me with my shmucked nose!

Needless to say I didn’t need to offer any further explanations about my poor vision as the librarian rushed around the counter to help me!