Blind Jokes

Blind Jokes Podcast
Personally when I took a step back and thought about it.  Is there really a segment of any human population that is immune from jokes?    Race, Color, Creed, personal trait, gender, disability, I’m not aware of any topic which is off-limits.   I spent a lot of time thinking about it and I couldn’t identify a group that doesn’t have a joke of some sort. I’m glad I’m not blond or a lawyer. Isn’t it human nature to compare and contrast and differentiate?    We ultimately all need to feel like we belong to some kind of group.  Unfortunately groups feel some kind of need to be derogatory about differences from time to time.
There are many things that have happened to me as a blind person that if I didn’t laugh at I’d cry or worse go crazy.     The time I encountered a $16,000 dollar glass door and the only thing left standing after the encounter was the door handle.    Or the time my guide dog peed and peed in a high end grocery store. Then my guide followed up the pee with poop piles in the aisles.    The time I walked into a poll at Disneyland.   When I confuse a men and woman because of shape or colors, very embarrassing.   When I misidentify a person and plant a big kiss or give a big hug to some unsuspecting victim.    When I walk into the ladies room because the signs are too ambiguous.    There is a list.    I find humor in these things.   The only one of these incidents that was my fault was the guide dog doing his duty in the store.  I got what I deserved because I didn’t take care of his needs, so he did.   There was the time my guide dog was mad at me, I forget why,  and he walked me into a pole.
I do enjoy blind jokes.   Humour to me expresses differences and differences in capabilities, thoughts, expression ideas etc.   Humour adds value to all of us, it helps us understand the world.   Frankly I can’t expect “everyone” or “anyone” for that matter to be an expert in blindness.   I have to accept that people are ignorant about blindness; intolerant is a very different experience.   We all have the obligation to teach about our differences.   Humour helps….
I love the saying “I see said the blind man as he picked up his hammer and saw”.   It’s a favourite.    The best blind joke I’ve heard personally is when a  colleague came up behind me when I was using a computer.   When I use a computer I’m generally positioned so my nose is about 2 to 4 inches from the monitor.  Sometimes there are nose prints on the monitor.   My colleague came up behind me and whispered in my ear, “go to the light, go to the light”.   I loved it…    I’ve not heard its match in my life.