As I wrote yesterday, in order for me to identify anything and this includes fruits and vegetables, I have to touch it. I have to get to know things by feel, shape, smell, texture. My family was very good always at letting me touch everything. It can take a long time for a blind person to examine something thoroughly. If you think about looking at something, you can take in its features at a glance. I cannot do this. I need to examine it by running my hands over it which can take some time. By the time I was 12 or 13, I thought I had touched most grocery items. One day, I was looking on the kitchen counter for a fruit to snack on. I ran my hands all around the counter. Then, I touched something. Something hairy. It must be some kind of animal! Some hairy beast! When I touched it, it moved. I screamed for my mom to come and see.
"There is an animal here. On the counter."
"I can't see any animal."
"It was there. All hairy and it moved when I touched it."
She started to laugh.
"Is it this?" she asked placing something in my hand.
Oh it was the hairy thing! I hated the feel of it.
I screamed again. "Yes that's it." She laughed and laughed and told me it was a kiwi fruit. I had eaten kiwi fruit but I had never touched a whole and unpeeled one. When I touched it, it must have rolled away slightly. I'm not afraid of them anymore. But, whenever I peel one, I laugh to myself.
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I love your posts! I love learning more about being blind. And your tone is superb: at once insightful, simple and playful. Oh, and so thoroughly enjoyable. Thanks Kim!
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