Tag Archives: guide dogs

The Hungry Hound

The below poem is dedicated to my guide dog Trigger, and my generous colleagues who, from time to time sacrifice their lunch to a hungry canine.

—

I am Trigger.
My stomach is bigger
Than you think.
Your lunch will be gone in the blink
Of an Eye.
Then away I fly.
Should you ask “who stole my lunch?” I reply
“Nnot I
But, dear reader, I lie …!..
I have been known to eat plastic.
My reach is elastic.
You think your food Safe?
My friend brace
Yourself for a shock
For I will gobble the lot!
Be it ever so hot!

To The Young Lady Who Assisted Me Across The Road

Secret Santa

9 Replies

Today I attended my work’s Christmas Dinner with my guide dog, Trigger. As part of the festivities those attending participated in a Secret Santa, where gifts are given and received, with the recipient being unaware of the giver’s identity. I opened three presents: a selection of miniature whiskies, a furry squeaky toy and a rawhide chew in the shape of a ring. What is puzzling me is this. The whiskies are obviously for Trigger but what on earth am I to do with a squeaky toy and a rawhide chew? …

When Trigger Met Fanny

3 Replies

THIS IS I – TRIGGER

Yesterday I went with my owner, Kevin to catch a train into London Victoria. He says he has to go into something called the office. Personally I can’t see why. I mean its much more fun chasing foxes and other wildlife in the park or taking tasty snacks from the shelves in those big stores they call supermarkets. Its most kind of staff to leave eatables just where my nose can reach them …! Anyway I digress. As I was saying, I was at Gipsy Hill station yesterday when this furry tease (she is called Fanny I understand) sat on the Oystercard reader arching her back at me. I wagged my tail furiously but she wasn’t having any of it and kept well out of my way and, to cap it all my owner told me to behave. Fancy telling me to “behave”, butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth (it would be swallowed so fast it wouldn’t have time to melt)! This feline fiend has even got her own Twitter account (https://twitter.com/thegipsyhillcat). Who ever heard of a mere cat having such a thing. I demand one immediately!

THIS IS FANNY

Yours disconsolately

Trigger

Dedication To The Job!

15 Replies

“You look smart. Are you off somewhere nice?”, said the man operating the luggage gate at London Victoria’s mainline station. (Being blind this gentleman has assisted me onto trains on numerous occasions hence his familiarity in speaking to me in this manner).

“No, just work”, I replied.

“But its Sunday Kevin!”, he said with obvious surprise.

Suddenly everything clicked into place. The 4 coach train at my local station when, during the working week the train consists of 8-10 carriages should have screamed, “It’s the weekend you crazy man!”. Likewise the lack of people at the station together with their relative absence on my walk there should have registered with me as signifying that it was a Sunday.

I have never done anything like this before and can only conclude that my desire to be early for the meeting I was due to chair on Monday morning, coupled with the need to prepare for it so occupied me that I neglected to notice the trifling fact it was Sunday rather than Monday! Oh well at least my guide dog Trigger enjoyed an early morning trot albeit on a Sunday!

Kevin

Guide Dogs Not Allowed IN

6 Replies

The following email (reproduced below) about the discrimination faced by guide dog owners is self explanatory. As a guide dog owner I am saddened and angered by the fact that 75 percent of guide dog owners report having been refused access to a taxi when accompanied by their guide dog. I am saddened but not surprised because the same thing has happened to me on several occasions (I.E. taxi drivers flouting the law by refusing to carry me when accompanied by my guide dog Trigger). If you live in the UK please do take the time to write to your Member of Parliament regarding this issue. The original email can be found by following this link http://emails-guidedogs.org.uk/LDK-3KHFD-E85B5CNX2A/cr.aspx. Please note, the links in the email reproduced below don’t work (for the working links please visit the original document linked to above).

Many thanks,

Kevin

Email From Guide Dogs For The Blind Association

Dear Kevin

“My biggest problem with refusals comes from taxi drivers. I used to have a very tough two hour commute to work. The taxi part of the journey was the shortest

bit travel wise, but it always ended up being the bit that held me up the most because I was having to spend time facing drivers who wouldn’t take me with

my dog. It made an already stressful situation really stressful and upsetting…it’s good that my contract was flexi hours otherwise I’m sure I would have

been sacked for being late all the time – it happened so often.” Guide dog owner, Northamptonshire

Earlier this year we carried out a survey of over one thousand assistance dog owners. The results were shocking.

75% of guide dog owners

who responded had been refused access to a business or service at some stage because they were accompanied by their dog, and nearly half had within the

last year.

Take action to help us stop this from happening.

This is why we’ve launched an important new campaign called ‘Access All Areas’ which aims to ensure guide dog and other assistance dog owners are able to

gain access to businesses and services with their dog, as is their legal right.

A guide dog owner and guide dog about to get into a taxi

Amongst guide dog owners the most frequently encountered place to be refused access was taxis and private hire vehicles. You can help us tackle this problem

by taking our new online action.

Thank you for supporting this vital new campaign.

Best wishes,

Rachael

White Cane In Hand (Humour)

Of Books And Fruit

4 Replies

I had hoped to receive a further stock of my book, “Dalliance; A Collection Of Poetry And Prose” on Friday 19 June. However on telephoning Berforts (the publisher of the print edition) on Thursday 18 June I learned that the little elves who print books are all on strike. Well, to be honest it is a little more prosaic than that. The machine which prints the books has broken down and “Dalliance” will now be printed and shipped in week commencing 22 June.

On Monday I am scheduled to break the camera as my photograph is being taken to accompany the author interview a colleague conducted with me on Monday 15 June. The interview appeared here on 16 June and will be published on my employer’s website in the next couple of weeks. I had hoped to have a copy of “Dalliance” to hold up for the camera, however I have no copies, meaning the picture will be dallianceless (well if Shakespeare can make up words so can I)!

On Thursday evening I popped into my local supermarket and purchased a substancial quantity of oranges and apples. I had just reached home when a dull thudding sound reached my ears. “how odd” I said to myself “perhaps I have kicked a large stone”. I bent down to investigate only for several thudding sounds to follow on from one another in quick succession. Putting my hand to the thin plastic bag provided by the supermarket I discovered the cause of the problem – a hole had developed allowing my fruit to cascade with gay abandon all over the car park of the flats in which I live! I did briefly contemplate letting my trusty lab/retriever guide dog Trigger loose in the hope he would follow his retriever instincts and bring the fruit back to his master. I quickly dismissed the idea as Trigger is fond of apples and while I’m sure he would have retrieved them the fruit would have been conveyed to his rapacious stomach rather than my eager grasp. All ended happily as a neighbour kindly retrieved my apples and oranges. The moral of the story is to never trust to those flimsy plastic bags provided free by supermarkets but to bring one’s own carrier or invest in a “bag for life” which many stores now offer.

I wish you all a very fruitful weekend!

(for my author interview please visit http://newauthoronline.com/2015/06/16/interview-with-author-k-morris/).

Please Do Not Distract

5 Replies

While out for a walk with my guide dog, Trigger earlier today a lady began to stroke him while he was guiding me past a car which was, rather inconveniently parked on the pavement. I smiled and said,

“I don’t mind you stroking my dog, but please don’t do so while he is working as it could put both me and my dog in danger”.

The lady apologised and I continued on my way.

Unfortunately the above incident is far from being an isolated occurance. I have experienced people attempting to pet Trigger while in the midst of crossing a busy London road, which could have had disastrous consequences for both him and I.

As I said to the lady this morning, I have no objection to people stroking my guide dog. However the bottom line is to use common sense. By distracting a working guide dog the person responsible runs the risk of causing the animal to lose concentration. This could result in the owner becoming intimately acquainted with a lamp post or the bumper of a large lorry, not something which anyone wants to have on their conscience.

There is a good short piece on GDBA’s website on tips for approaching a guide dog owner. The golden rule, as set out in that piece is to always ask and not assume that speaking to or petting the dog is OK. As a guide dog owner I will, in most instances readily agree to a request to fuss Trigger. He works hard and deserves to be stroked, cuddled and generally loved. However, when working attention given to a guide dog can be highly dangerous so, please ask before approaching any assistance dogs.

For the article on GDBA’s website please visit, (https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/microsites/sponsor-a-puppy/blogs/2015/april/ever-wondered-how-to-approach-a-guide-dog-and-their-owner#.VWHdu0YrggQ).

Kevin

Stop Press! Blind Man Becomes The World’s First Visually Impaired Roofer!

9 Replies

In life it is advisable to have more than one string to one’s bow. Bearing this excellent advice in mind I am delighted to announce (trumpets sound) the launch of a new company – abacusroofing.com! Looking down on the world from a great height will, no doubt get the little grey cells working overtime and enhance my capacity to produce literary works of outstanding quality.

How did I determine to become a roofer? Is not roofing somewhat dangerous for a registered blind person such as myself? To answer the latter question first,fear not my dear readers for I have my trusty guide dog Trigger who will bark should I stray overly close to the roof’s edge and howl most pitifully should we both slip and plummet gracefully (if such a thing is possible) earthwards.

Returning to how all this came to be. Yesterday I received a letter from Yel, the company who own the print Yellow Pages together with it’s online subsidiary. Yell where kind enough to offer me the opportunity to advertise my company, abacusroofing.com free of charge with their firm. How could I refuse such a kind offer? I was just about to call the good people at Yell, express my undying gratitude for their generosity and accept their offer when a thought struck me – I had no recollection of having established a company of any description let alone one going by the name of Abacus Roofing. Either I am becoming extremely forgetful or the good people at Yellow Pages have got their wires tangled. I think, dear readers the latter is the case! If, however you would like to avail yourself of my roofing services please do drop me a line to newauthoronline (at) gmail dot com, (I really must get a separate address for my roofing business)!

(Note: Joking apart, I did receive a letter from Yell inviting me to advertise abacusroofing.com. I visited the website and received an error message indicating a server issue. There are, incidentally several companies, including one in Northhampton called Abacus Roofing, however they have no connection with yours truly)!