Viv and Alan

Both were blind. Viv had been blind since she was eight. Alan was a former truck driver with diabetes who had one drink to many. He woke up one morning totally blind. They were my friends when I lived in Edmonton. I say were, because somehow time and not keeping in touch removed them from me. I have tried to locate them, but without success.

They were an amazing couple. I first met Vivian through my church. She was single at the time, but I used to pick her up and drive her to various activities. We became friends.

I remember soon after I met her I asked her if she had any idea of what I looked like. She said that all she saw was a blur. I took her hands and placed them on my face. She thought I was pretty good looking. That certainly pleased me.

After a few months, she met Alan at a CNIB event. They became very interested in each other. Alan provided the male companionship that she craved. Vivian seemed to help Alan cope with his new blindness. She was so sensitive to his needs. When it came time to get guide dogs, she made sure he was the first to get one so he could be closer to her in abilities. Being blind for so long, Vivian was a lot more independent than Alan.

They certainly were ambitious people. They didn’t expect a handout from anybody. Their home was always spotless.

To make ends meet Alan decided to sell Amway. He did rather well, but what he sold the most was laundry detergent. He would put ink on a piece of cloth, put it in a container with the soap and shake it. After a few seconds he would pull it out of the canister spotless and say, “See, the stain is removed.” With faith like that in the product, you had to buy it.

When I moved to Ottawa, we decided to get together for Christmas. I picked them up at the airport on Christmas Eve. It was so good to see Vivian, Alan and his guide dog, Mitzi.

When we got back to my house, we decorated the tree together, including stringing popcorn. We found out the next morning that Mitzi adored it. The lower strands on the tree had been eaten.

I found out something very special the next morning about how independent Vivian really was. Since we had stayed up well into the night catching up on old times, I slept in the next morning. I awoke to the smell of … could it be? … warm tea biscuits. How? Who? I strolled into the kitchen and found Vivian just taking them out of the oven.

I was totally impressed. Vivian had never been in my house before, yet she was able to find all of the ingredients, all of the bowls and utensils and was able to operate the oven without sight.

One day I hope we will somehow meet again.