Taking a Second to Talk About Firsts

Last Friday marked two months since Chase and I graduated from Guide Dogs for the Blind.  And we have had a number of firsts in recent weeks.

A couple Saturdays ago, Chase took his first bus ride with me.  That delivered us to another first, his premiere visit to Ace Hardware.  Then, weekend before last, Chase took his first ferry ride.  It carried us from Jack London Square in Oakland to AT&T Park in San Francisco.  There Chase attended his first Giants game.

 

Chase did very well at the game.  He was polite and respectful of the other team's fans.  He ignored my encouragement to go after the foul balls hit near us.  He did not take offense when we talked about getting a couple of dogs for lunch.  But by the seventh inning, he did his own stretch.  He stood and looked at me, as if to say "Is this over yet?"  Thanks to our friends, Will and Gloria Davidson, for being willing to have a guide dog along for the game.  (And to Will for keeping me up to date on the count and the outs, as well as describing the action.)

Not everything is a first (especially the next time you do it.)  Chase attended his third wedding this past weekend.  Our niece, Leni, got married in Chico.  It was, as far as I know, Chase’s first visit to Chico.  It was also, as far as I know, his first night in a hotel room.

As usual, Chase was a great conversation starter at the wedding.  (I don’t mean he started the conversation. He really doesn’t like to talk in front of strangers.  I mean people had questions and comments about him.)   We got a lot of “He’s really handsome,” and “He’s really well-behaved.”

As the daylight grows shorter heading into fall, I’m beginning to use the flashing red LED strips I bought from Guide Dogs.  They make his harness handle light up like the top of a police car.  I have ordered similar arm bands and should be ready when winter comes and I’m following my black dog in my charcoal overcoat.

The rest of our lives is mostly routine.  Up, eat, relieve, BART, work, water, relieve, back to BARt, head home, eat, relieve and go to bed.  Chase also does all of those things.