The Pearl 2020

words, it will shield you in case an unaware driver heads straight for you. I’ll
cross Coe Road now, trying to keep in pace with my guardian vehicle parallel
to me.
My feet start to move. I shuffle quickly across the street. I swipe my
cane in more considerable arcs, as if to telegraph the fact that I’m blind even
more to any drivers. It only takes a few seconds, and I’m on the other side of
Coe Road.
I can’t find this side’s bumps. I feel a twinge of panic and start to slide
my cane along the curb, as if a car will come bearing down on me if I don’t
get on the sidewalk that instant.
“Use the three point touch,” Jim reminds me from behind.
His words put me in a sense of calm. Without delay, I put my toes
against the curb and stick my cane out directly in front of me. One. I feel the
sidewalk in front of me. Nice. I reach out to my right next. Two. I feel more
curb. I quickly swing to my left, gliding the tip across the sidewalk. I lean,
reaching with my arm completely outstretched. Three. I find a spot where the
curb disappears. My cane slides over those familiar bumps, and I sidestep
over to where I’m supposed to get onto the sidewalk. Although I know I
wasn’t in any real danger, I still feel relieved to not be on the street.
“Good job,” Jim says, joining me on the sidewalk. “But can you tell me
what happened?”
“I veered to the right,” I mumble. Although I shouldn’t be, I’m a tad
embarrassed for walking off to the side. After all, I can’t see where I’m going.
At least I didn’t go to the left, where I would end up walking down the Avenue
into oncoming traffic.
“Mhm,” Jim hums, directing me to the next challenge, 1st Ave.
“Remember, we talked about this crossing last time. Do what we talked about
and go when you’re ready.”
“Okay,” I say to myself, trying to recall exactly what Jim said when we
last worked together. What was it? I can’t quite remember, probably because I
hadn’t been listening. It was after a long day of school, and I was practically
falling asleep in the passenger seat of his car as he drove me home. It was a
fool’s errand to try to get anything across to me in that state.
Probably wasn’t anything super important. It should just be another
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