It's a Funny Thing...

Gwen



Its funny how people enter and leave your life. This is something, more often the not, I have little control over the best you can do or I can do is to make the best of the moment—you all have probably noticed, I am carrying my digital camera and now I a taking at least one image a day. So, anyway back to Gwen, Gwen, is this blind women who catches the train, in the morning, at the same station as I. We are both disabled so we have to enter the train at the top of a “mini-high block” an elevated platform which is just high enough to allow people in wheelchairs, or who may need assistance boarding the steeply stepped train, to board the train straight from the highblock. The train operator must unlock his/her door and manually unfold a “bridge” to cover the stairs of the train so the wheelchair can come aboard. This is where I met Gwen. Some times when I am late and “running for the train and Gwen is there, I can usually make it because they will have to do the boarding procedure; this will usually buy me enough time to access the ramps and get in line behind Gwen to make that train. We have talk a little, since I work with people with disabilities in my day job Gwen has often had questions for me, especially regarding housing and sometime a regarding employment options, which might be available. I sensed Gwen was not happy here along the Wasatch Front. Not, only is Gwen, a person with a disability she is also a minority. I don’t think any minority is really happy in Utah. Gwen is cool a little laconic and sardonic—she is a person you don’t mess with; Gwen watches out for her self. She has told me how today she is just three days from the plane to take her home to San Diego where Gwen’s fiancé waits. They way things go, I rarely catch the same train at the same time in two days. I had thought a number of times I want to start taking pictures of the folks I ride the train with—start my train collection. I have been a little timid to start asking folks if I could capture their image. But, I also realized today when Gwen, once again, stalled the train long enough for me to board, that if I did not get the image today I will most likely have lost my chance. So, I did it, I got the picture. I am glad I did I wish Gwen the best of luck and hope she finds the employment and life she could not find in Utah.