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Hysterical Blindness

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HYSTERICAL BLINDNESS

Hysterical Blindness
ENG 090
05/10/2012

Wednesdays were always the day to meet with Charles (Chuck) Griffin, take the dogs for a walk, and get a cup of coffee from the Deer Perk coffee shop located in Deer Park, Texas. Chuck was a bold character, never backing down from an opportunity to bring a smile to the faces of his friends and family.

Every week, I met Chuck outside the gated, community east of Houston, Texas. We shared a comedic greeting, usually at my expense, regarding haircut, eyeglasses, or clothing and gingerly began our walk towards the soccer, fields located behind a group of shops smartly placed to attract patrons of the sporting events which occurred regularly. Our walks were always filled with laughter about current events, coworkers, or politicians. Two to three hundred feet from the park, our energy filled canines would started to show their excitement as they anticipated our destination and the activities always afforded them by this midweek rendezvous.

Frisbees always began flying well before we arrived at the center of the soccer fields. Dogs came off the leashes and bolted in the direction towards those floating discs, always wanting to be the first to sink their teeth into what we thought must be the best tasting plastic around. Chuck’s dog (Sam), more often the winner with the longer legs and the more muscular of the two, always held his head high as he trotted back towards his master, looking like the police dog who had just found the drugs. Shane (my dog) continually tried to take the trophy and perform his own victory lap around Chuck I and before standing by for the next run. Most days, Sam and Shane worked their frustrations out on the soccer fields as Chuck and I squinted through our sunglasses maintaining constant visuals on the pair. As we were always tired from just watching we would usually stroll away from the fields towards our coffee hangout, dogs in tow, then order our favorite coffees, sit outside and go over more stories involving any number of topics. On this particular midweek day, our routine would be forever changed. As we strolled towards the coffee shop, panting dogs at our side, Chuck boldly stated he was hungry, rather than our usual coffee, he suggested we visit an eating establishment. This, we never did. How could we with our canine companions accompanying us? Chuck casually stated “we’ll figure it out, no worries.” Just right of the coffee shop sat the Magnolia Pancake house, well known for the best pancakes in town. As we approached the front door, I paused for a moment as Chuck briskly walked up to the door, tugged it open and proceeded inside. I stood in the doorway, observed the greeter approach him with a concerned look as Chuck politely said “two please.” The pleasant mannered greeter calmly stated “Sir, dogs are not allowed in here, this is a restaurant.” Chuck responded in kind “Sir, I am blind and this here is my Guide Dog.” To my surprise, an apology was presented, then Chuck and Sam were promptly seated towards the rear of the restaurant as patrons and employees alike stared with confused expressions. I whispered to myself “what can go wrong” pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes and calmly walked up to the hosting stand. Just as with Chuck, I was pleasantly greeted and I stated “two please” with which the host kindly responded exactly as he had before. Out of my mouth rolled the phrase “I am blind sir and this is my guide.” Obviously puzzled he responded with “Sir, that’s a poodle” and without hesitation I blurted out the words “THEY GAVE ME A POODLE?”

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