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- Path: sparky!uunet!olivea!bunker!hcap!hnews!105!319.0!Carol.Ashland
- From: Carol.Ashland@p0.f319.n105.z1.fidonet.org (Carol Ashland)
- Newsgroups: misc.handicap
- Subject: Re: Editorial Feelings
- Message-ID: <25819@handicap.news>
- Date: 23 Nov 92 21:51:26 GMT
- Sender: news@bunker.shel.isc-br.com
- Reply-To: Carol.Ashland@p0.f319.n105.z1.fidonet.org
- Organization: FidoNet node 1:105/319.0 - Mostly Mail, Aloha OR
- Lines: 55
- Approved: wtm@hnews.fidonet.org
- X-Fidonet: Blink Talk Conference
- Originator: wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com
-
- Index Number: 25819
-
- [This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
-
- DH> Me too. I sometimes feel like I shouldn't be so picky, next to some
- DH> other guide dog users who are not.
-
- Yeah, but then I see a dog that is misbehaving, jumping on people,
- barking in public, or not paying attention to his/her work, and I
- usually find that the owner also is very liberal about people in the
- public petting the dog.
-
- DH> It's my experience that if people
- DH> pet my dog, even stare at her or talk to her, that she becomes
- DH> excited,even somewhat, and it makes more work for me. Sometimes it
-
- I know what you mean. Frosty, my last dog, was generally not shakable
- in that regard. I was standing in the lobby at work once, and the fire
- alarm started. Frosty was in my office down the hall, but was not on
- tie-down. I called his name calmly, and loudly, over the stupid bell,
- and he came right to me and stuck his nose in my hand, right through
- the people and everything. Now if I tried that with sony! ... he might
- come to me, or he might take the opportunity to say hello to everyone
- in the room.
-
- DH> above average. Seems to me that we have a real boundary problem in
- DH> our culture. People pat strange dogs in a way that I believe is risky
- DH> and downright stupid. They never know what will happen if they pet
- DH> any strange dog; and it is even more invasive to pat a guide dog. Do
- DH> people go up and invasively touch all strange people? Usually not.
- DH> Sometimes they do it more with people who are blind or otherwise
- DH> disabled, and it is invasive to us. Oh yes, they mean well and
-
- Yes, it is invasive to be pawed by strangers. Once I was hurrying down
- the walk in front of a little shopping center when I heard a woman
- running like mad behind me, calling "wait!" I was the only one around,
- but I really didn't want to be bothered, so I just hurried on. But she
- ran up and stopped me anyway. I turned reluctantly to her, and she
- said "Can we talk to your animal?" I said "no" somewhat tersely, and
- went on my way.
-
- DH> right to our anger at times.
-
- I agree, we do have a right to our anger at times.
-
- DH> I have a sign on my dog's harness that says "Do not pet me, I'm a
- DH> working guide dog."
-
- Where did you get that sign? I want one!!
-
- Carol
-
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