In the summer of 1999 (1)

In the summer of 1999, was fighting against the point of
Coatesville Cultural Society’s Board the exercise. So I released my
and Staff had a retreat in its breath, and tried to let go. To be
recently-opened theatre building. guided. To trust. We moved
Over the course of three days, we cautiously, but a bit smoother. I
talked, danced, ate, slept and heard my partner greeting people
participated in various exercises we passed, and explaining what we
meant to bring us together as a were doing to a few. He laughed
group. One of these was the Blind with them, but kept a firm hold of
Walk. my arm, letting me know he hadn’t
forgotten I was in his care. When
We each chose a partner – we returned to our starting place,
someone who we felt was different he let out a big breath. We
from ourselves. One partner was to laughed together recognizing his
be blindfolded, and the other had relief to have made it around the
to be our eyes as we went for a block without any scrapes or falls.
walk on the streets of downtown
Coatesville. We had about 30 And now it was his turn to
minutes to walk wherever we wear the blindfold. I told him
wanted to go, and then we were to where I wanted to take him, and he
switch places. People stopped us said he was ready to go. Standing
to ask what we were doing: a blind beside him, I took his arm at the
walk, we replied. A trust exercise, elbow with one hand and held his
meant to bring us closer. It wasn’t hand with the other. He was much
easy to lead or be lead. taller than I, and he startled me by
stepping out like he was the one
As I put on the blindfold, I felt who could see. I grabbed his arm
myself conflicted – for although I tightly to slow him down, but he
felt safe in the care of an older seemed determined to walk
male, I was used to having control “regularly.”
of my movement. My stride was
hesitant, trying to feel where I was We moved down the street
going for myself. I feared I was and I became aware of the uneven
going to get hurt. I was holding my places in the sidewalk, the
breath, certain I would trip, or oncoming people, the signs and
knock into things. I could see that meters and ramps and trashcans. I
this was clearly the harder role, to had a lot to pay attention to, as he
be blind and to give oneself to the was mine to protect. People again
care of someone else. wanted to talk to us, but I was
busy! I tried to smile and
We walked around the block acknowledge them, but I had a lot
to the post office and I realized I

to deal with as we moved along. than the open streets, and just as
At the corner, I stopped him, treacherous to navigate. People
were interested, and seemed to
explaining how we were going to want to help us. “Who are you?”
cross the intersection. “Step they wanted to know who we
down,” I told him, then, “okay, represented in doing this.
we’re at the next curb, so step up.” “Coatesville Cultural Society,” we
He obeyed me, lifting his foot extra told them, “we have a theatre
high for the step down and again down the street.” There wasn’t
for the step up, because he didn’t time to explain the theatre’s
know how to gauge the size step to mission to build interracial good
take. It was a little comical to see will and communication, and how
him make these giant steps into this exercise was meant to bring us
nothingness, and I knew then, that together; we had to complete our
I had done the same, had looked task.
the same. “We made it!” I tried to
comfort him and he laughed. We made it back to our
starting place, and when he took
I told him I needed to get off the blindfold, I knew that my
something at the drugstore, and earlier assessment about how
that I was taking him in. “Let’s much easier it was to be the
go,” he said, and he bounded caretaker was wrong. Being blind
forward. I described our path and was eye-opening: now I could see
its obstacles. It was a little crowded that it was just as challenging to
as we approached the door, and we have someone vulnerable put their
had to walk through a railing at the trust in you as it was to give them
entrance. The people by the door that trust. It took care, presence
opened it for us, and I had to grab and humor. We embraced, and
my partner to stop him from hitting thanked one another for the safe
his head on the door as it swung trip.
out towards us. “You have to slow
down!” I exclaimed. He agreed, but — Leora Marion
he was trying to walk at his normal
pace, which was fast, determined,
with swinging arms, a contrast to
my careful, slow stride.

The aisles were narrower