"Well, really?"

My friend was coming to stay; I was really looking forward to seeing her. In between texts, her telling me she was getting closer and me quickly running around the house, making sure it looked tidy, the excitement was building. This would be the first time she saw my house and after all the work we have had done, to  the house, it was quite hard to believe that the house could ever look tidy!

I heard the taxi pull up and I ran to the door. What did I see? Nothing, as I don’t see. Thank God I was smiling at the right person and not a delivery van for someone else, and then having to close the door and cringe behind the door as I thought “Gosh, what will that stranger think? I was beaming at him? Oh, yes so many times I have done that, said hello at someone as I passed them in the street, as it would be rude to not speak as they were after all saying hello to me? Well ok, not me, but I did not realise that at the time, I thought they were rather jolly. Whoever they were talking to on their mobile, I am sure they were pleased to hear from them?

It was my friend Julie. A dear friend if ever there was one. You know what it is like when you have a friend? Most times the other half or the kids don’t like that person, well Julie is a friend who we all love and respect!

After the big hugs were over, I showed her around we had a  cup of tea a snack a chat and off we went to catch the bus into town. Well my Husband followed with his guide dog and I linked onto Julie’s arm. I stotted off people as they did not move, expecting me of course to move well I would if I could see them, but I couldn’t so slam. The tuts echoed as I passed by feeling the bruises but not caring as used to that and looking forward to being with my friend all weekend.

 We did the shops, just a brief look  Julie explained where the shops were the shop I always thought was the department, Lush, as I passed it in the town before, was in fact a soap shop, selling all sorts of soaps that looked like cakes and trifles. So pretty.

 

We went through the busy market, I kept making sure my loved one was ok with his happy wagging tailed dog, which has so much to say for herself and is the most beautiful dog ever, well apart from mine who is of course the best one!!! I did not take my Hannah, as thought I would give her  a break as she is due for retirement, and I am dreading that day and it would be easier for Julie to guide me into shops, as specially the china shops?????

We found a chocolate shop had a hot chocolate and I chose a marzipan chocolate Julie a cherry one and loved one Truffle.

Then, after a tea-time walk, went into a beautiful Indian restaurant,  Julie's description, all in traditional clothing and it looked very clean and nice inside. Well we were told we could not entre as we had a dog…. My love said we could come in as she was a guide dog, he said no, my love said yes and he won. A man of higher authority welcomed us in and the little man who was not going to allow us in was moved…We were tret like queens and a king all night even the dog was loved. A waiter stood behind my friend saying “chicken? Chicken?” Julie said,

“Oh no, no thank you!” Then he laughed and said,

“Oh no not for you, for the dog?????Well, we did laugh.

 

The Bangla music was very loud but good. The food was stunning.

We left and on our way out, a lady turned to Julie and said how marvellous we were and said that she too looked after people like us……Well I am  used to such ignorant people but Julie was furious and said they are my friends, they are looking  after me. The silly woman left sucking on her inner cheeks.

Funny isn’t it, how the blind are not to have sighted friends and the blind can not hear? Why do people always talk to the person we are with, rather than us, or the dogs if we are not with a sighted person? Paralympics? Has it really done any good? Don’t get me wrong, I am not sporty and do not want to run the next marathon, or cycle into town, though that would be a laugh, but just know we are like you, just our sight has broken down like one hundred people across the U.k per day lose their sight.

 

Sad goodbyes as she left for the train and we went on our way home by bus, praying that we would get off at the right stop…. We did.

 

We can say we have fifty friends, but in real life, we only have about two or three and we are true friends to the same amount, so when you feel alone, thinking everyone has so many friends but you, that is not true, really you have about the same, if you feel you have none, your wrong again, as

1 you have not met your friend yet and

2 you have me…x