from
Esme The Guide Dog facebook
Continuation to the Diary Of A Guide Dog
I'm sitting here, sucking my toe and thinking to myself how I can
make the NEA legislation and the MSF card more effective. Many
people appear not to care two hoots about both nor the basic human
respect towards another human being who is a paying customer and
who also happens to suffer a visual impairment.
This is especially disheartening for me as my adopted country had
just recently celebrated the achievements of blind PHD holders but
yet the people on the ground appear not to be ready to accept the
blind community in all its shapes and size.
It is so frustrating for me a bona fide guide dog who was
scientifically bred, went through two years of vigorous training
and who holds a photo ID which is supported by the Ministry of
Social and Family Development (MSF). There is no respect for the
countless kind hearted people that made me possible for people like
Mama.
On 8th September, I guided Mama and a few blind friends to the
Haagen-Dazs outlet at Holland Village at about 6.35pm. This is what
I heard after guiding Mama inside the door.
HV staff: Would you like a table inside or not?
Mama: Inside please.
HV staff: But Mdm, no pets. Can you leave the dog
outside?
Mama: I'm blind, and this is my guide dog that guides me
around.
HV staff: Wait, I call my manager.
**Lady Manager standing at the door not talking, facing away from
Mama
Mama: Are you the manager? Please take a look at this legislation
from NEA, excluding guide dogs from the no pets policy to the
Public Environmental Health Act. This is also a card with MSF's
support allowing guide dogs into all public
spaces.
Lady Manager: No pets, mdm.
Mama: This is not a pet as I have explained, it's my guide dog, and
I need it as I am blind.
Lady Manager : I only the assistant manager.
Mama: Where is your manager?
** Gentlemen clearing throat: I am the manager!
Mama: Yes, as I was telling both your staff, I am blind and this is
my guide dog. Please take a look at this legislation from NEA
excluding guide dogs from the no pets policy to the Public
Environmental Health Act. This is also a card with MSF's support
allowing guide dogs into all public places.
Male Manager : No pets, mdm.
Mama: Are you saying you would not allow my guide dog and I to sit
inside Haagen Dazs?
Male Manager: No mdm, not you, just the dog.
Mama: What about the white canes of my friends, do they need to be
parked outside as well?
Male Manager: Mdm, my company policy is no pets. Please
understand.
Mama: As I have said before, this is not a pet! it is a working dog
for a blind person.
Male Manager: Mdm, my company policy is no pets. Please
understand.
Mama: All right. In that case, I am happy to take my business
elsewhere.
**Mama standing outside the store facebooking about the
rejection.
Male Manager **stepping outside the store: Mdm, I never say cannot,
you never gave me a chance to read the paper.
Mama: I showed it both to you and the lady manager, and I have been
holding it in my hands all the 10 minutes in the store. Why are you
only concern now that I am facebooking?
Male Manager: But it's Sunday and my head office is
closed!
Mama: It's all right, because on Sundays blind people also don't
need to eat ice-cream. We'll go elsewhere.
*Disclaimer:
These are some musings of a very clever 4 legged being, and by no
means am I questioning the good intentions of any entities or the
happenings mentioned in this journal entry.