I posted a twix about Ross on the day after my experience with him. Here is the complete tale (TT)
ROSS
As I grow older and experience more stuff I am sometimes alarmed at how difficult it is to find adventure now days. Places that used to take days and weeks to get to are just a short flight away. I even saw a picture of a Masai tribesman in Kenya with a cell phone. Adventure - you know it - that spine tingling, adrenaline-rushing feeling seemed to be slipping away. And then, right here in my own city, I met Ross.
I must admit that when I was asked to come to the Montgomery Therapeutic Recreation Center to do an I Tried Scuba with a sight impaired fellow I was really skeptical. In fact, I was almost afraid that I wouldnt be able to measure up, unable to give him the adventure that he was so desperately seeking, the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. When the day finally came and I met him I knew right away that this was going to be a good thing.
Ross is fifty-seven years old and glaucoma stole his eyesight seven years ago. He fought a long battle but he was diagnosed too late and the damage was irreversible. When I entered the pool room, Lane Weitman, his recreational therapist, was kneeling beside Ross who was sitting in a large PVC pipe chair in the shallow end. The scene was right out of a Buffett song, The King of Somewhere Hot sitting on his throne amongst palm trees and grass huts with the sound of gentle surf somewhere in the background. Just by his mannerism and enthusiasm, I knew I would like him.
Ross developed an interest in diving as a young boy watching episodes of Sea Hunt. How many of us can lay claim to that? He served in Viet Nam in the 173rd Airborne. He was an infantryman and carried an M-60 machine gun. For those who have never seen one, the M-60 weighs 20 pounds without the ammunition. The jungles and villes of the Nam were hot and the walks long. Ross says that he was all over the country, never in one place very long. The machine gunner is one of the most important and respected guys on the squad.
After the Army, he returned to Montgomery and became a truck driver. As early as 1971 he began having problems with seeing things in bright sunlight. After a long fight, he lost the battle and his eyesight seven years ago. Ross related that he almost gave up the will to live and credits the crew at the Alabama Blindness Center in Birmingham for "turning his attitude around" and helping him enjoy life again. Having given up on God, he also found religion anew. Every Sunday he attends Jericho AME Zion Church in Snowdoun, a small community just south of Montgomery. He has five children and six grandchildren, the youngest three-weeks old.
After an orientation, he jumped right in, nervous at first but as soon as his hands hit the bottom of the pool he was oriented. He scooted all over the pool by feeling the bottom contour. Only stopping for a few minutes to describe his adventure to Occupational Therapy Students from Alabama State University. Ross is a charismatic sort and the girls from State were spellbound and well entertained with lots of giggles.
Then he was ready to go again. This time more relaxed, he told me there are two skills that I could forget in his class - he didn't seem too interested in wasting time defogging his mask or learning hand signals. The nervousness gone, he trimmed out and gave the appearance of an experienced diver.
Lane played games with him and would toss a rubber-covered brick into Ross's path. Ross would find it and hand it back with a big smile of accomplishment. One funny part came when he stumbled over my scuba tank that I had left on the bottom. He felt that thing all over wondering where it came from.
I asked Ross if he would like to be a member of our Search and Recovery team. He beamed and said "Sure!" I related to him that divers in limited visibility situations have to go by feel too. He found that interesting and intriguing. After all, he had experience and a distinct advantage doing that. It reminded me of the time that someone challenged Ray Charles to a golf game, Sure, Ill meet you on the course at midnight. Said Ray.
The poolroom was hot and muggy so we sat in the lobby talking. Ross enjoys playing with his grandchildren, reading with the help of a Port Reader, and swimming. His favorite books are western novels. He told us of his many gadgets that help him make it through the day. A talking watch and calculator plus a device where he can scan a barcode and it tells him the name and expiration date on food items. He is learning Braille.
I asked Ross if he had a Seeing Eye dog and he shuddered. I cant stand dogs, when I was a little boy I was carrying an armload of kindling wood and a dog knocked me over. I got a kindling splinter all the way from my neck to my chin. But, he said, My friend Lucy has a dog. Youll like Lucy, shes quite a character.
He invited us to the annual White Cane Celebration in Tuskegee. He says it is a grand display of new technology, speeches, and testimonials from folks with sight impairment. Ross propped his feet up, leaned back and took a long sip of ice water. The grin from ear-to-ear told the story of a dream fulfilled. I had no doubt what he was thinking. Life is good!
ROSS
As I grow older and experience more stuff I am sometimes alarmed at how difficult it is to find adventure now days. Places that used to take days and weeks to get to are just a short flight away. I even saw a picture of a Masai tribesman in Kenya with a cell phone. Adventure - you know it - that spine tingling, adrenaline-rushing feeling seemed to be slipping away. And then, right here in my own city, I met Ross.
I must admit that when I was asked to come to the Montgomery Therapeutic Recreation Center to do an I Tried Scuba with a sight impaired fellow I was really skeptical. In fact, I was almost afraid that I wouldnt be able to measure up, unable to give him the adventure that he was so desperately seeking, the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. When the day finally came and I met him I knew right away that this was going to be a good thing.
Ross is fifty-seven years old and glaucoma stole his eyesight seven years ago. He fought a long battle but he was diagnosed too late and the damage was irreversible. When I entered the pool room, Lane Weitman, his recreational therapist, was kneeling beside Ross who was sitting in a large PVC pipe chair in the shallow end. The scene was right out of a Buffett song, The King of Somewhere Hot sitting on his throne amongst palm trees and grass huts with the sound of gentle surf somewhere in the background. Just by his mannerism and enthusiasm, I knew I would like him.
Ross developed an interest in diving as a young boy watching episodes of Sea Hunt. How many of us can lay claim to that? He served in Viet Nam in the 173rd Airborne. He was an infantryman and carried an M-60 machine gun. For those who have never seen one, the M-60 weighs 20 pounds without the ammunition. The jungles and villes of the Nam were hot and the walks long. Ross says that he was all over the country, never in one place very long. The machine gunner is one of the most important and respected guys on the squad.
After the Army, he returned to Montgomery and became a truck driver. As early as 1971 he began having problems with seeing things in bright sunlight. After a long fight, he lost the battle and his eyesight seven years ago. Ross related that he almost gave up the will to live and credits the crew at the Alabama Blindness Center in Birmingham for "turning his attitude around" and helping him enjoy life again. Having given up on God, he also found religion anew. Every Sunday he attends Jericho AME Zion Church in Snowdoun, a small community just south of Montgomery. He has five children and six grandchildren, the youngest three-weeks old.
After an orientation, he jumped right in, nervous at first but as soon as his hands hit the bottom of the pool he was oriented. He scooted all over the pool by feeling the bottom contour. Only stopping for a few minutes to describe his adventure to Occupational Therapy Students from Alabama State University. Ross is a charismatic sort and the girls from State were spellbound and well entertained with lots of giggles.
Then he was ready to go again. This time more relaxed, he told me there are two skills that I could forget in his class - he didn't seem too interested in wasting time defogging his mask or learning hand signals. The nervousness gone, he trimmed out and gave the appearance of an experienced diver.
Lane played games with him and would toss a rubber-covered brick into Ross's path. Ross would find it and hand it back with a big smile of accomplishment. One funny part came when he stumbled over my scuba tank that I had left on the bottom. He felt that thing all over wondering where it came from.
I asked Ross if he would like to be a member of our Search and Recovery team. He beamed and said "Sure!" I related to him that divers in limited visibility situations have to go by feel too. He found that interesting and intriguing. After all, he had experience and a distinct advantage doing that. It reminded me of the time that someone challenged Ray Charles to a golf game, Sure, Ill meet you on the course at midnight. Said Ray.
The poolroom was hot and muggy so we sat in the lobby talking. Ross enjoys playing with his grandchildren, reading with the help of a Port Reader, and swimming. His favorite books are western novels. He told us of his many gadgets that help him make it through the day. A talking watch and calculator plus a device where he can scan a barcode and it tells him the name and expiration date on food items. He is learning Braille.
I asked Ross if he had a Seeing Eye dog and he shuddered. I cant stand dogs, when I was a little boy I was carrying an armload of kindling wood and a dog knocked me over. I got a kindling splinter all the way from my neck to my chin. But, he said, My friend Lucy has a dog. Youll like Lucy, shes quite a character.
He invited us to the annual White Cane Celebration in Tuskegee. He says it is a grand display of new technology, speeches, and testimonials from folks with sight impairment. Ross propped his feet up, leaned back and took a long sip of ice water. The grin from ear-to-ear told the story of a dream fulfilled. I had no doubt what he was thinking. Life is good!
