“Well, That Was Refreshing!”

This doesn’t have much to do with Paganism, but it’s a humorous incident I had recently, that kind of highlights the partial vision loss I live with.

I had a first recently–a large corporation willing to send me their response in Braille! I can read a 26 font, if it’s in a standard, not cursive or any fancy script, and very bold, but it is a strain. So Braille and audio are what I primarily use to read. I have partial vision loss, which mainly causes difficulty with reading, depth perception, and some color differentiation. I can’t drive and do not like stove tops, and beyond that occasionally need a hand with cleaning high places. I won’t buy clear glassware. Beyond that it really isn’t an issue other than the frustrating thing where people talk to me like I’m five. I’m sight-impaired not dumb.
So this was amusing. I applied for a card at JC Penny, because I’m really in need of some new clothing. The lady circled the number to call on the print information packet, and a friend read it out. After four or five attempts to get through their obnoxious automated system, which is good enough to be voice-controlled (try typing out your SSN number on a touch-screen keypad, when you can’t see the numbers, and you are limited on time), but wouldn’t put me through to customer service until I said an exact phrase: “application status.” Not “card application.” It kept demanding account information. Annoying. So then I reach this really nice guy working in their customer service department and he says I’ll get my response in seven-ten business days, and I explain to him that I can’t read that. I ask for an email verification. He puts me on hold, then comes back and says he’s checking into whether or not a Braille version can be sent out. I understand security issues with email. He comes back and says that’s what I’ll be sent. This is refreshing. I mean maybe it just shows they actually give a bat’s tail about accessibility. But part of me hopes that if they are willing to do that it’s a good sign I got approved.
It’s humorous in a way. I mean I cannot stand companies who don’t tout religious affiliations, and yet only provide Bibles to the exclusion of all other large religions; companies that only go through the motions of providing for disabled; so on and so forth. I have the mentality that while provided accommodation is nice, I can also create some of my own. I never expected that to happen. It may irritate me a great deal that hotels only offer Bibles in their rooms, instead of having an assortment of religious literature behind their front desk or something, but I don’t expect people to have the common courtesy to think that way in consideration of their clients. I would love to see a little shelf with a Bible, the Torah, the Koran, Drawing Down the Moon, and something from Hinduism. It would give people a special sense of welcome, like they were personally respected. It doesn’t happen though. Nor do I expect things in Braille. I will ask but normally it isn’t their way. They’ve never had to do it so of course it just never occurred to them. (Can you sense the sarcasm?) So when I heard that I just burst out laughing because it was such a surprise that for once someone had apparently been thinking for a change. It was nice to feel some personal respect from such a large corporation. Their spokeswoman is a proud LGBT representative. Now they have also proven themselves friendly to the disabled community.
I think I said something like, “Well, that was refreshing!”
On that positive note, I hope everyone has a blessed weekend. Keep checking back, as a three-part equanox series opens soon. And I just want to introduce all of you to my familiar. This was shot by my best friend, and fellow bead crafter, Jennilee, from Jennilee Rose Designs. That’s me talking in the background toward the end.