Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Is This Callous?

This summer I ran a 5K. After several rounds of free bagel bites, some stretching, hangin' out, etc. the crowd suddenly burst into a very sincere applause. Why? The race wasn't over. Oh. A blind woman finished.

Let me explain a few things:

1. The 5K was 2.5K in one direction on a straight flat road, a turn-around-point, and then back on the other side of the road.
2. The woman did not run the 5K. She walked it.
3. She used her cane.
4. She was holding someone else's arm also.

Now, don't get me wrong, being blind is a bummer. My grandmother was blind. Bummerville! But, really? That woman did not deserve riotous clapping. I mean...come on. Being blind does not make you incapable of walking three miles. Can people stop doing this? Like seeing someone's differences and then applauding their normalcy?

And I won't wait for you forever, while you run around like JFK.

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