Talking to Big Kids

I must admit that when Bracha goes to lecture to kindergarten kids, I get a little bored lying on the floor quietly listening. But talking to ninth-graders is a different matter altogether. They were sharp. Bracha asked them really hard questions, and they had some really interesting things to say. I kept myself awake because I didn't want to miss a thing. And when the lecture was over and Bracha took my harness off, boy did I get a petting!
Bracha: When you think of a person who can't see, what kind of connotations come to your mind? You can say negative things, too. That's OK. We need to talk about this and we'll work on it.
The kids: Bind people need help. They are helpless. They depend on others. They are smart. Their other senses are sharper than people who see.
Bracha asked them how they felt if they saw a person with a cane and a person with a dog.
The kids: When someone has a dog people keep away more. Some people don't like tampering with dogs. A blind person walking with a dog walks faster. Walking with a dog is safer because the dog will bark if something is wrong. (Bracha explained that I rarely bark, but it was a good thought.) Someone with a cane has to feel their way along. The dog knows where it's going.
And Bracha got a lot of tough questions to answer, too:
How do you cook? How do you know when the gas is on? (Bracha: Go home, get a plastic knife, close your eyes, and try cutting an apple or a tomato. You'll find that if you are careful you can do it.)
Why can't you wear glasses if you can't see? Wouldn't that help?
How do you tell bills apart? What if someone wants to cheat you? (Bracha said there were dishonest people everywhere, and sometimes people even try to cheat people who see, but cheating someone who doesn't is even worse.)
What happens when you go somewhere you've never been before? How does your dog know where to go?
Well, they kept at it for a long time, and Bracha told them about the time I pushed her out of the way of the man on a bike on the sidewalk by the highway, and I was so proud! She explained to the children that I have something called in tell a gent diss oh bee dience. I think that means that if Bracha tells me to walk into the street and I see a car coming, I'll disobey and not go. Anyway, I'm glad I have it because it sounds like something useful to have. And she told them about how dangerous hybrid cars are because they can't be heard, and how difficult it is for me to tell when the street begins if there is a ramp and no curb to stand on and wait. I hope we get to talk to some more big kids. They are so interesting!

"We've already got enough stickers."

Need I relate the routine again?
HaMashbir. Entrance.
Security guard. (this time a woman)
You can't come in with a dog.
You have to let me in, it's the law.
I'm going to check.
Sure, go check. But I'm going in. Kadima, Suki. Up the escelator, and back up to the manager's office.
The manager, a woman decked out in so much clanking jewelry that she made as much noise as my collar with all its tags, finished talking on the phone and turned to us.
Bracha explained the problem. Also that it was the third time that a guard had turned us out and that evidently no one had taken the trouble to consistently inform the constantly changing security guards of the law. (As if Bracha really thourhg they would.)
"I'll be happy to come back tomorrow with a sticker that we can put on the door saying that guide dogs for the blind are allowed in the store. That would save me having to go through the unpleasantness of being told I can't come in, and would save you having to constantly inform changing security guards," offered Bracha politely.
"Oh, no!" the manager objected. "Goodness, we already have too many stickers."
She promised to inform the guard.
"Stay calm," I said to Bracha. There is no point in losing our temper. We need to get some more aggressive people onto this together with us.
And seemingly we have. AFter a long trip past Acco Bracha sat down with R. from "ISrael Accessability ASsociation. Now this woman isn't polite at all to security guards. She was waiting in the doorway of Aroma in Acco, but the guard at the entrance to the mall was not any part of Aroma's usual hospitality.
"You can't bring a dog in here."
Bracha answered him that she could. And suddenly there was a new voice. R. let him have it. "You be quiet and don't interfere! Guide dogs are allowed in here."
We marched in past him and Bracha and R. shook hands and sat down. The guard went on jabbering about well, the dog could come in, but it mustn't run around loose.
Run around loose? For goodness sakes, why does he think I came here with Bracha?
"Don't be ridiculous," countered R. "It's a guide dog. It stays with her all the time." And to Bracha and me: "What ignorance!"
Then I lay down under the table and listened to Bracha and R. talk about how they were going to cooperate and make sure that the authorities are informed every time we are told we can't go in somewhere. And I have a feeling that there is going to be some action soon. Ilana, the nice woman from the store in the alley whose son has a guide dog, too, told Bracha on no uncertain terms that if we were told we can't go into Hamashbir again we should go to the police. Not letting a guide dog into a store is an offense.

One of my cleaner moments

Here I am, during one of the rare moments when my paws are not covered in mud and I can bask in the winter sunshine!

I'd rather be damp.

What a wonderful day we had! First we went to the pool as usual, and everyone there petted me. I even have one suitor who gives me a kiss every time he passes me, but I'm not sure Bracha knows about this. From there we went to Nahariya and eventually we ended up at the beach! It was cold, but I didn't care, and went dashing into the water. The warm wind soon dried me off and I rested while Bracha got something to eat and gave me water at Aroma. Then we got to go to the dentist. Bracha doesn't mind going there too much and everyone there loves me, too, except for the assistant Luba who is afraid of me. So I made sure to stay tucked in a corner at a safe distance. Not only that, but when we got home Bracha took me on a long walk, and I er, got a bit muddy. Well, admittedly much more than a bit. And that doesn't go with this new carpet we have. So I dned up in the shower where Bracha scrubbed me down and toweled me off. Then Bracha attempted to entice me to get close to something in her hand. It was not something I felt comfortable with. It was shaped like a little gun and made a horrible noise like that thing Bracha uses to vacuum up my dog hair off the floor, but this blew hot air out instead of sucking in. She tried to entice me to get close to it with treats, but I stood my ground. There was no way she was going to blow that thing on me! Finally she gave up and I settled down in my bed, a bit damp but happy that she turned the thing off.
Oh, and by the way, the office from Bituach Leumi where we were told by the guard that we could not go in last week called. They put the head of the office on the lne, and he apologized to Bracha. He and Bracha agreed that they would put a sticker on the front door. Just what I wanted in the first place. If I see a picture of a guide dog on a door, I know that no one can turn us away!

How Very Ironic

We don't tolerate being told we can't go into a store, restaurant, or any other place. But to be told we can't go in to the offices of the national insurance in Nahariya was the epitome of insult, ignorance, and negligence. Here we were, going into a government office that specifically deals with people with disabilities. And the guy at the door gives Bracha the usual tripe.
"You can't come in here with a dog."
Bracha gives him the usual answer.
"I'll go and check it."
"Sorry," says Bracha. "It's against the law not to let me in. I'm not waiting outside for you to check with anyone," and goes in. She marches straight to the counter and waits until the woman is free.
"How is it possible that in the office of Bituach Leumi the guard tells a person with a guide dog that they can't come in?"
The woman apologizes profusely. The security guard at the desk offers an excuse. "He doesn't know about the law."
Bracha insists that it is their responsibility to inform the guard at the door about the law before he begins his job and not wait for insulting incidents to happen before they tell him. "Tell me, if a person came to the door in a wheelchair, would he tell them they can't come in, too? Why do I have to be subjected to insult because you haven't bothered to inform the guard about the law? If government offices don't bather to adhere to the law, how can we expect other people to?" I know the people were already convinced that Bracha was right, but she had to let off steam. It is, after all, very insulting to be subjected to this all the time.
Sometimes I wonder how people can be so ignorant. Now all we have to do is wait for all the letters we sent to arrive. And I think we'll go in there in another week or two just to see if they set things right.

Bracha, Come Rescue Me! I'm Wet!

Mind you, I love water. That is, swimming in it. but when it comes to going out in the rain, I'm less enthusiastic. If I have to get my fur wet and don't have the fun of swimming, it just isn't worth it! I do wish I could jump into the pool with Bracha, but I know that's not allowed. So I'm usually content to lie quietly in my spot near the edge and watch everyone in the water, making sure I keep a good eye on Bracha.

Now today was a bit different. It was raining hard and I kept shaking myself as we walked from the car to the pool. And it continued raining even when we were in the pool. The rain on the plastic roof was very noisy, and I soon noticed that Bracha felt that water was coming down from the roof into the pool. Then she got out and checked that I was dry and not getting rained on. But soon I noticed that the floor was getting wet and water was rapidly oozing over to where I was lying, so I stood up. I looked at Bracha appealingly. Do I have to lie here where it's wet?
Certainly not! Bracha got out of the pool again and came over and she could tell that the floor was getting pretty wet. "Come on Suki. I'll take you where it's dry and warm." And off we went to the locker room and Bracha dried me off with a towel. How lucky I am that Bracha doesn't want me to get wet and cold! And when are they going to fix the roof?

Modeling my New Carpet

Of course, it was purchased expecially for me to lie on...here I am in my favorite position.