Written by Andy Slater

Illustrated by Steve Krakow

Text and layout by Jesse Irwin

Our hero, Andy, stands to the left of the page. He is dressed in a black suit jacket, white shirt, and white tie. He is wearing a pair of large sunglasses. He has a large mustache that connects to his sideburns. He says,
“Hello! My name is Andy and I am visually impaired, legally blind, can’t see well, got bad eyes, etc. During my tenure as a blind person I have Been asked many questions about my vision. I have also received a ton of confused looks from people… some just up and run away from me like I’m going to make them get blind or something… I have even encountered some folks who outright accuse me of faking my disability. Seriously! Some people out there get up in my face with “You’re not really blind!!!” and smirk as if they caught me lying about my Canadian girlfriend. Chances are that this is why I have handed you this comic, because I’d like you to learn a little about blind people before you go opening your mouth and embarrassing yourself! I know I look good. I know I seem to have a grasp on what I’m doing. I may exceed your expectations…but those are not reasons to feel threatened by me. I’m just a dude who wants to live life without ignorant, aggressive people interrupting me. I’ve grown tired of having to justify why I use a cane. The one-liners have become stale and i can’t afford to lose my wonderful singing voice by yelling all the time. I’d much rather sit and talk one on one with someone who actually want to understand my disability and make them more comfortable around blind folks. So I made this comic to do the smack talkin’ for me. Please read it and consider everything I say. It’s all pretty simple. Thanks!”

In the left panel a light colored bulldog sits on the floor next to an old console style television set. There is a shelf behind the dog that has books and records on it. The TV has a VCR on top of it. The dog looks at you with a concerned yet cute expression. On the television screen is the opening credits of The Rockford Files. James Garner smiles with the show’s title below him.

Caption: I have a degenerative disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa. Everyone with RP has different symptoms. It’s very hard to explain.
On the left is how you may see my dog, Pickles, and good old Jim Rockford…

In the right panel is the same image but it is distorted. Theborders of the image are dark and form a sort of circle. The dog and the television are blurry and most of the detail is lost.

Caption: …on the right is how my eyes perceive them.
“It’s like a pinhole covered in TV snow and purple strobing disco lights… my life is more psychedelic than I need it to be!”

In the left panel we see Andy walking on the sidewalk. A man leans against a wall. He wears a Fedora with a necktie and dress shirt untucked and his sleeves rolled up. He is smoking a cigarette. He calls out to Andy.

“You’re not really blind!”

Andy looks over his shoulder at the man.

Caption: There are many reasons why I use a can. My vision is unpredictable. My cane helps in many situations. It’s hard to understand, so go read about RP.

In the right panel the man is holding 2 fingers in front of his face. Andy is facing him.

The man says, “How many fingers am I holding up? You can see… You’re faking it!”

Andy replies, “I’m looking at you ‘cuz I can hear where your mouth is. I can smell that bottle of “Cool Water” you dumped on yourself, too! You know nothing about me, scrub…” Andy looks very upset.

Caption: Next time we meet, we’ll have something to talk about.

Andy is crossing the street while a car is blocks the crosswalk. A woman is behind the wheel and talking on her phone. The car is a light colored BMW with a vanity plate that reads: “NKNSDR8”.

CAPTION: A blind pedestrian always has the right of way. They may turn or stop without notice so wait until they’ve fully crossed!

“Nothing stops me dead in my tracks like the sound of an approaching car… don’t creep on me, Christine! I won’t know where to run!”

Caption: A cyclist on the sidewalk is a major threat to a blind pedestrian.

A man with a mullet haircut and wearing a ‘No Fat Chix’ t-shirt rides his bike on the sidewalk. Andy is walking towards him with his cane extended in front of him. They are about to collide.

“Get out of the way!” the man shouts.

“What the— ?! Get off the sidewalk!” replies Andy.

“I don’t want to get hit by a car… My cool bike has no brakes… Move it!” says the man.

Caption: A moving bike may look no different than an axe-wielding maniac!

Caption: Don’t assume a blind person needs help just because he’s blind. Always ask if someone needs assistance – never grab or pull!

Andy and another man are on the sidewalk in front of a fast food joint called, “Meat Queen”. There is a sign that reads: “Millions and Millions Sold.”

An older man in a mismatch plaid suit and hat grabs Andy’s forearm. Andy tries to pull away, raising his cane in the air.

“The burgers are this way, idiotka!” as he points to his left.

Caption: “You don’t know where I’m going. I don’t know that you’re not going to mug me, or throw me into the street!”

In the left panel Andy stands leaning on his cane.

A shorter man stands smiling. He is bald with a beard with no mustache, much like a garden gnome. He is wearing an “Up With People” t-shirt and suspenders holding up his pants. He has a halo floating above his head.

Caption: If you’re out to spread the good word be righteous! Don’t blame the victim!

The man says, “If you finally let Jesus into your heart you will be healed!”

Andy replies, “…oh, really?”

In the right panel Andy raises his hand and points at the man.

“What makes you think that I don’t love God as much as you?” declares Andy. “Do you think I’m not Christian enough to be able to see? Do you think God is punishing me and that my disability is punishment for not being as righteous as you?”

The man turns and runs away scared. His halo is tossed in the air behind him.

In the left panel we see Andy crossing the street with his cane out in front of him. A woman with long blond hair wearing a white sweater and grey skirt trips over his cane and falls to the ground. She spills her coffee and drops her umbrella.

Caption: We can be social and independent, capable of doing normal things… Like crossing the street, or accidentally tripping a lady.

In the right panel we see Andy reaching out his hand to help the young woman onto her feet. She is smiling. An older woman stands with her hands behind her back. She is wearing plaid pants a cardigan sweater and a big hat with a larger brim.

She says, “It must be weird- being the one helping someone else for a change!”

Andy replies, “Ma’am, I’m not done helping! Let me see what I can do about that ugly old hat of yours…”

Just like on the first page Andy is talking to you.

“Hi it’s me again Andy!

Thanks for reading my book. It really means a lot to me. I have enough stress in my life walking into walls and knocking over wine glasses but knowing that you and I now have an understanding makes me feel a lot better. By reading this you Learned about what its like to have retinitis pigmentosa and how simple it can be to make things easier for people like me. As absurd as they may seem all of these experiences have happened to me. You can now see why I may have a chip on my shoulder, right? The more people out there that read this book and become educated like yourself, the happier I’ll be. Remember: Blind people are not magical or helpless, we’re just people.”

“SEE” you soon!“

The End