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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Since I eon’t know Marcia, I can only assume that the piece is a first-person account since it has that feel to it. If not, it is certainly a piece of fiction with many details to help the reader understand the techniques involved in the jump. If fiction, was there a lot of research involved and how was it done? I should admit that I am terrified of heights, so the parts that spoke to the fear and reality of the moment really resonated with me as I imagine they would with other readers. There is a very real sense of being in the moment with the author. I found the opening very poignant and thought it was a good beginning for a piece about the father. However, I think it would improve the story if that sense of poignancy could be brought in again at the end. As it is, the ending seems too abrupt, although perhaps it mimics the fast landing. I still believe that ending the story with some words about her father in the present time would serve to give a sense of the father and daughter relationship beyond the jump alone. Just as the explanation of how the jump took place was good, there were also lines that were very funny and help break the mounting tension before the jump. The author describes the daughter as being visually impaired and that she would see none of the landscape during the jump, but the daughter “watched” her father and the partner going to the door and how the partner pried the father’s fingers from the door. How was she able to see these things? In one sentence just after the jump, “thrill” and “thrilling” were used; this is probably due to the rough draft rather than oversight. Finally, Marcia, I hope your mother is doing well. I’m not certain I could have had the concentration to write something like this when my parents were Ill.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Deanna:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I realize that I am probably coming into the middle of a longer project, but I felt drawn in by the clear descriptions of what having a guide dog means to one’s choice of clothes and footwear. Having had both a black and a yellow Labrador before my current black guide dog, I think you did an excellent job of letting readers know about how shedding and cleaning away dog hair becomes second nature. I doubt that many sighted people even consider this fact, and you gave them the information in a way that didn’t talk down to them. I was also impressed by your mother’s attempts to help you have fashionable clothes made from thrift store bargains. Even if you hadn’t been blind, the hours you and your mother spent redesigning and sewing showed a deep love that came through in an everyday task. While I am not certain who your target audience is, I applaud you for stressing the importance of looking neat and attractive. Before losing my vision, I had two blind friends who wore very out-of-date and often stained or mismatched clothing. While both of these women counted their pennies, neither was unable to spend money on new clothes. It simply didn’t matter or occur to them that presenting a good appearance was something important. If your target audience is college-aged blind women, I believe you, writing as a peer at the time, have done them a valuable service. Because I am new to the group, I don’t know what came before this piece, so some of my next comments might have already been clarified in earlier submissions. Why did you grow up in poverty? How did you, given the financial hardships described, get the opportunity to attend college? You mentioned losing your vision gradually and being seven years old. What was the cause of your blindness, and do you have any residual vision? My only other comment is, “Great shoes!”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Cleora,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I feel as though Leonard explained why the automative part of your piece wouldn’t work. I have no knowledge to confirm or deny that, but I don’t even know enough about cars and driving to comment. That said, I do have a few comments. Why didn’t the truck driver simply call 911 or some local rescue group to take his mother in law to the hospital? Money certainly wasn’t an option. I also wonder why the electric car driver chose to drive it at all since the post office was just a short distance. Was the weather bad when he made the decision? Did he have a lot of packages to mail or was he simply going to buy stamps? Otherwise, I feel a little out of my depth, given the automative theme.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Leonard:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>When I finished reading this column, I wanted to meet Barney – not on a walk with my guide dog Laurence, though. I don’t do well with tangled leashes. I would be like the weevils who wobble as Leonard reminded readers in such an apt way of the old commercial. Frankly, there is very little in this piece that I would change. I loved the descriptions of Barney who sounds like such an affable fellow. Like other visually impaired people, I can understand and relish the sense of freedom Barney provides Leonard in his neighborhood. One thing I think a reader might wonder, though, is why Leonard does not have a guide dog. This isn’t a judgment; I simply think a sentence or two would clarify the issue for readers. As someone who is married to a service dog handler, I have to comment on the use of the term “help dog.” Service dogs get called many things, but the correct term is really “service dog.” When I came across “snuck”, I initially thought that “sneaked” was the correct past tense of “sneak.” However, when doing some internet research, I discovered that “snuck” has become the variant standard past tense, brought about by common use. Thanks, Leonard, for teaching me something new. All I can say, in summary, is that this is another well-written piece by Leonard, filled with humor, wise observations, and his own particular voice. Well done! Sally<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>