Repetitive exercise coupled with extended tracks all with a monotonous hypnotic beat often lead me to drift off into my own thoughts and today’s spinning classs was no exception. On occasions I’ve drifted so far into myself that I’ve lost track of the class and have had to be given a sharp reminder from my friend spinning alongside me who has the advantage that she can see the class leader which gives her a visual clue!
My reverie wandered along something like this:
Today there have been two items which have dominated the news. The making of TV history with the first debate in the UK between the three main party leaders with the approach of the general election on 6th may. The other big news item is the volcano which has erupted in Iceland, causing a large cloud of ash to drift slowly over our air space, closing it to all but emergency flights since mid day today.
this led me to think that, should there be a natural disaster of any real magnitude, there is nothing we as a species, as powerful as we think we are, can do about it. there have been several major earthquakes this year, could they be linked? could they also be linked to the volcanic eruption which took place today? If so, then what next? …
But assuming we don’t all perish in a natural disaster any time soon, what do I want from the next government? I don’t think my needs and aspirations differ greatly from most ordinary folk. A good health service and education system, better law and order, a fair taxation system, jobs for those of us who can work and care when we get too old to work.
what I really want is a lot more basic than that, but again, the big three can probably do nothing about it. I want change in attitude. I don’t even care if people don’t know about blindness and how to meet my needs as a blind person. I want to be able to walk into a shop and not be spoken to like a five-year-old. I want people to communicate with me and treat me with the same level of respect that they would treat anyone else. I particularly don’t want people to make assumptions as to my level of ability based on misguided misconceptions of their own. In short, I want to be equal.
… and then the class ended.
As an after thought, on my way home, my guide dog had a rather unfortunate accident which I had to bag up and take home with me. It occurred to me that if I was mugged, what a great self defense weapon I had swinging from my right hand!
Random Happenings and Observations 
Brilliant entry!
Hi Mel,
Wow, what a brilliantly written and fascinating entry! I agree, it’s pretty damn scary, the rate at which natural disasters seem to be happening of late–actually I agree with everything you said. Equality too, doesn’t seem to be that much to ask for and yet, there are some pretty dense people around who really have no clue how to act around a disabled person. And as for the comment at the end about being mugged, I almost fell off my chair. So true, but bloody hilarious. You see? Jasmine didn’t do it by accident, she was protecting you! Or at least providing you with a means to protect yourself.
Re: Brilliant entry!
Thanks so much for the complement, especially as you’re a writer yourself! I enjoyed writing that one.
Re: Brilliant entry!
hi mel. i read your entry with intrest. now tell me, what is a spinning bike? or is that what us old timers called a spinning wheel? and yes, v well written that too. maybe Jasmine was concerned about the fait of her own kind, and was nervous to the point of forgetting her control. *smile* and i agree with you re atitude. i see the provailling atitude to blind people all around me, in public buildings, where there are ramps and atms at groin hight, but no talking ATMs and in a soceity where you can get a leaflet in a non english language right there and then, but you can’t find one in braille or on tape when you want one.
Couldn’t agree more!
Well said Mel! Brilliant post. I hope you have thousands of subscribers.
Amie