JC sat at the Los Angelos Institute for the Visually Impaired listening to some guy blather on about the difficulties he would be experiencing as a newly blinded person.  As if he hadn’t figured out most of them by now.

            After having been led to the bathroom by his brother (He now used the one connected to his bedroom, since it was easier to find and there weren’t any objects blocking his path.), JC had insisted that he dial the number Tyler read off to him of the institute.  He thought he’d had it right, but ended up getting a very pissed off older woman.  He let Tyler dial for him, and after speaking to the director, here he was.

            “Cooking will be difficult at first, but not impossible.  Within time you will be making your own food again….”

            JC had to laugh at that one.  He was a pretty shitty cook to begin with.  Being blind now gave him a legitimate excuse for not having to attempt cooking.  He hadn’t had to attempt to sort through stuff on a plate because frankly, if it was possible, Tyler was a worse cook than he was.  Take out for the rest of his life didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

            “Joshua, are you paying attention here?” the man asked.

            “Huh?”  JC responded.

            “That’s what I thought.  Here, this is for you.”

            “What’s for me?”  JC asked. 

            “Hold out you hand,” the man instructed.  JC did as he was told, and the man placed something in his hands.  “What is it?” he asked.

            “It’s a walking stick.  It’ll help you to get around.  I want you to try using it for a couple days, around the house, short walks down the street.  Just get a feel for it.”

            “How do I use it?”

            “I’m sure you’ve seen at least one movie or tv show with a blind character.  Figure it out.”

            JC sighed.

            “Look, Joshua, I’ve been doing this for years.  I’ve helped numerous people to adjust to their new life, some even more cynical than yourself.  I have faith in you.  You just have to have faith you.”

            JC waved the cane around a bit and hit something he suspected to be a chair leg.  “Yea, uh, thanks.  I guess.  You want me back here in a few days then?”

            “Whenever you feel comfortable.  Just call and we’ll set it up.”

            Tyler was standing just beyond the room door to pick up his brother.  “Well?” he asked.

            “I got a present,” JC said, and proceeded to whack his brother in the leg with his cane.

            “Ow,” Tyler whined.  “You hit me with that again and I’ll break you in half.”

            “Feel like letting me drive?” JC asked.

            “Let you drive?  I’m sure you could make your way to your house with your eyes closed, but I’m really not willing to test that theory.”

            “Oh,” JC said defeated. He’d forgotten about that.

            “Just look at it this way,” Tyler said as he escorted JC to his car.  “Now you get to be chauffered around all the time, instead of just some of the time.  We can hire you a permanent limo driver.  You can be blind in style.”

            JC slumped.

            “Don’t worry man, you’ll get used to it.”

            ‘I don’t want to get used to it,’ JC thought.  He was too glum to put up a fight.  He just merely slipped into car door that his brother had opened for him.

            Once at home, JC didn’t feel much like sitting around.  He had a new item that he felt like playing with. “Hey Ty,” he said, whacking his brother in the leg once more.

            “Dammit Jace!”  JC got a cheesy grin on his face, the kind that showed all his pearly yellows.  “Don’t smile at me like that.  I told you I would break you in half.”

            “Don’t think I can’t still kick your ass Tyler,” JC playfully threatened.

            “Is there a reason you hit me with that thing or am I going to have to take it from you?”

            “I wanna test it out.”

            “On me?”

            “No, not on you shithead.  Let’s take it around the block.  I need you just in case I get lost or something.”

            Tyler agreed and led JC out to the sidewalk in front of his house.  “K.  You’re on the sidewalk, you’re on your own unless some crazy biker comes by.”

            JC drug his cane across the ground. *Scrape*.  Hardly music to the ears.  From grass at one end…*scrape*….to grass at the other.  JC took a step and swung it again.  One step, one swing, one step, one swing.  At this pace he wasn’t going to get much anywhere, but at least he seemed to figure out how it worked.

            JC picked up his pace a little.  A swing and a step til he no longer hit grass, just more scraping.  It wasn’t a road, he knew his house was about a city block’s distance from the nearest one.  Considering he hadn’t gone far, he figured it was his neighbor’s drive way.

            He continued on for about half a block, hitting a few more driveways along the way.  There didn’t seem to be any cars pulling in or passersby on the sidewalk.  It was a quiet neighborhood anyway, which JC figured to be a blessing for learning.  Getting around didn’t seem too difficult so far.

            Deciding that he’d gone far enough for now, JC turned around to head home.  He tried to recall how many driveways he’d hit.  Was it four…or five?  He was pretty sure it was four.  He counted on the way back…one..two…three…four.

            “Jace this is your neighbor’s.  One more.”

            Drat.  It was five.  He arrived home feeling pretty accomplished.  He just had one more thing to do…….

            “Ow,” Tyler whined.  “That’s it.  I’m going to break you in half.”

            “Bring it on.”  The boys tackled each other to the ground, everything else forgotten.