A man with a cane

I sometimes purchase groceries at the supermarket by the station on my way home from the office. One day, I believe it was in winter, looking for some foods to cook for my dinner as usual, I found a bit strange sight at the cold shelf in the store. Some purchasers were picking food trays avoiding someone, not annoyingly but were acting as if an invisible man was there. I focused on the man (of course, I could see him) and realized that he had a white cane. He seemed to be blind.

I know, in such a case, that most Japanese tend to pretend that he or she does not exist there. Probably, they consider it to be the kindness or have no idea what to do. Do you agree with them? Well, I won't deny them all, but can't distinguish it from just ignoring somehow. Anyway, the first thing I wondered was "can he find what he needs by himself?" Actually, it seemed that he could hardly find what he wanted, of course. How does he shop every time?

As a matter of fact, since one of my relatives is near to blind, I think I'm used to treating such people naturally with no hesitation. So I talked to him. "Excuse me sir, what are you looki... searching?" "Oh, thank you, is this a shelf where sausages are?" "No.., I suppose sausages are at another corner. Over there... (oh, he can't see) mmm... I'll escort you"

Nevertheless, we found out that's not where he wanted to go, despite there were sausages. "Uh sorry, I'm afraid you brought me the wrong place. I believe there should be a little meat shop in this store." I got it. He wanted to go to the area where small shop was set up independently in this supermarket. They do not sell packaged meat but fresh meat cut for you each time or their original products: bacon, hams and sausages.

I finally understood the situation, but still wondering if he had his favorite something special sausages, I brought him there. We did it. He seemed to be happy at last. After a while I left him, I suddenly realized the reason why he wanted to go to the small shop. I guess it was just because there are some shop clerks, who he can ask his order person to person through the counter. That's why he can go shopping here alone. That makes sense. I should've known it earlier.

In addition, I also noticed that I had forgotten to say good-bye or tell who I was. I had just nodded to him when I left there. I don't think he couldn't accomplish his shopping, but he might have thought that I had suddenly disappeared and feel uneasy. Uh, I did it again, sorry. (He should have recognized me as one of the clerks of the supermarket, though.) Hey, who says I'm used to treating them well?!

青空の卵