A laser Party is like no other

Jamie and I seem to have a penchant for meeting new people and making them our best friends. Before his stroke, when he could walk Jamie was always able to be seen out and about in the community talking with someone.
We have been going up to Perth to an Eye Specialist who has been giving Jamie laser treatment for Glaucoma and pressure behind the eye. I think of it as a small TIA. As this was our third visit we knew the drill. Patients wait patiently in the patient waiting room for at least two hours or more. There are eye drops to be administered, photos of an eye or two to be snapped and then the business of the laser treatment begins. I have to admit it kind of concerned me that I could sit in the room with Jamie during his laser treatment yet had to wear a mask cover my eyes.
We set off early for our one hour drive to the city, when we arrived I was able to find ‘my’ disability parking spot which always seems to be waiting for us. The surgery was really full and I noticed that people looked up from whatever occupation had been taking their attention and contrived to look without any eye contact at the latest person to enter the door. That was us. A man kindly jumped up and opened the door for Jamie to wheel himself through. I’m trying to help him become more independent and do stuff for himself. However, I think I’m like my mother, if you do it yourself it saves time and is easier. Also, I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings when they offer to help us.
It seemed kind of silly to spend the next 3 or 4 hours trying to pretend we weren’t there, so when we walked in and spotted a group of people, I thought, ‘These will be my audience they can’t get away’. So we sat down. As Jamie said quite loudly, ‘Hello’ people slowly looked up from their magazines, mobile phones, IPads or just from trying to sleep. They all responded in their own ways to his greeting. Jane had been waiting for 2 hours and 35 minutes and was sure it was going to be her turn next. David was there with his Dad who was reading a paper with yesterday’s date on it, had he really been there that long? Another lady I called Eloise was hiding behind her magazine. Sure enough Jane was called up, she was so excited she gave us all a little bow as we clapped. Then there were four. Carlo had been many times and was trying to reassure the lady next to him that when the Doctor lasered your eye it hurt like mad, but felt good when it was over. I’m not sure he helped her fears really.
Finally, it was our turn, 3 and a half hours after entering the surgery and hearing other people’s stories of horror operations that went wrong, ( I guess that is why they were horror operations.) The Nurse came and wheeled Jamie into the surgery. When it was all over and we were on our way out of the surgery, all the people we had been speaking to called out good bye and waved us through the door.
I think they liked us.

Ridin the newest train route in the southern hemisphere

The Mandurah to Perth Railway line opened a few days before Christmas 2007 so Im pretty sure its the newest so far. There was great excitement everywhere, the long awaited train had finally arrived. It was a bit like the Berlin Wall, there was lots of discussion, then one day'poof'' it was gone. The new railway line has been discussed over and over, there were so many delays we wondered would it ever happen at all. Then just as we had begun to believe it was all a myth, suddenly 'poof' the line was opened.
Early one morning Jamie and I drove to the Mandurah station and caught the train, There were a few little hiccups, for example we were unable to pay for car parking as the machine was broken. Neither could we purchase a railway ticket, the ticket machine was down.

At last the moment arrived when we stepped aboard the train. I was amazed to notice that our new trains had already been targeted with graffiti. Still, it was an exciting time, sitting on the train and admiring the view. There was only one serious mishap when an elderly couple had to alight at their designated station. The doors opened and the wife alighted, however they shut instantly and the husband was left on the train. He was distraught but I hope buoyed by the assitance he received from the other passengers. One person offered their mobile phone, except he was unable to use it. A passenger produced a map to show him how far it was to the next station where he could alight and go back and join his wife.

When the time came for him to get off the train, half the passengers in his carriage jumped up ready to assist him and make sure he left the train. Finally the drama was over and hopefully the man was able to find his wife again.

A heroic act

We had been strolling along the famous Fremantle cappucino strip when Jamie and I decided to walk into Target. As we were turning into the store an attractive young woman turned in front of us. She walked inside and a man who had been strolling along the pavement suddenly veered into the store behind her and followed her up the elevator. Now I admit to having a sense of the dramatic, so I turned to Jamie and said I think this young woman is being followed by someone. We rode up on the elevator and followed the man following the young woman. "Yes" he agreed, she is being followed. We watched her making several stops with the man close behind. Finally I went up to her and asked, 'did you come into this store with anybody? After all, he could have been her father I was just giving him the benefit of the doubt. 'No' she replied firmly. 'I don't want to alarm you.' I said. "But that gentleman over there' (I pointed to the guy peering over the shelves at us) has been following you ever since you came in. She glanced at the man and then back again at me. Then she took to her heels and ran like mad out of the store. In retrospect she didn't know me either, so I guess she took the safest way out and dumped the lot of us. Even so, Jamie called me a hero and I did feel as if I had saved somebody as well as thwarting a prowler, so all in all it was a successful outcome. I like to think so anyway.
Glenni