Editor's Introduction

Editor's Introduction

Editor's Introduction

What do toothpaste and railroad tracks have in

common? Just

about the same that axes and law books

do--nothing and

everything. They are the building blocks of the

routine of daily

existence. In a very real sense they are the

essence of humanity

itself.

When I was younger (maybe 40 years ago), there

was a popular

song called "Little Things Mean a Lot."

It dealt with what the

title implies, but its message was much more than

that. It was

that each little incident (relatively unimportant

in and of

itself) combines with all of the other trivial

events that are

constantly happening to us to form the pattern of

our lives. It

is not the major events but the recurring details

that make us

what we are--that determine whether we will

succeed or fail, be

happy and productive or sad and miserable.

This is the eighth Kernel book, and it is the

logical

extension of those that went before it. Some of

you have been

with us from the beginning, but for those who

haven't, let me

give you in the order of their production the

titles of the first

seven Kernel books. We began with "What

Color is the Sun" in

1991. Then we followed with "The Freedom

Bell," "As the Twig is

Bent," "Making Hay," "The

Journey," "Standing on One Foot," and

"When the Blizzard Blows." Now we come

to "Toothpaste and

Railroad Tracks."

The Kernel books have a constant theme and a

common purpose.

It is to let you know something about the details

of everyday

life as blind persons live it. Mostly we are not

world famous

celebrities but ordinary people just like

you--people who laugh

and cry, work and play, hope and dream--just like

you.

The stories that appear in these pages are true.

They are

written by those who have lived them. These are

people I know

personally--former students, colleagues in the

National

Federation of the Blind, blind men and women of

almost every age

and social background. There is, of course, one

exception. I

did not know the blind beak of Bow Street. He

lived before my

time, but his story is so interesting that I

wanted you to have

it.

Since I am blind myself, I think I know something

about

blindness; and since I am a member of the

National Federation of

the Blind, I think I know what blind people as a

group are trying

to do and how they feel.

We feel about the same way and want about the

same things

that you do, and when we fail (which all of us do

now and again),

it usually isn't because of our blindness.

Rather, it has to do

with lack of opportunity and the fact that too

many of the

general public believe we are unable to make our

way and do for

ourselves. Since we are part of the broader

society, we

sometimes tend to accept the public view of our

limitations, and

thus do much to make those limitations a reality.

But overwhelmingly the future is bright for the

blind.

Because of our own efforts and because of help

and understanding

from an increasing number of sighted friends, we

are changing

what it means to be blind. And the Kernel books

are helping make

it happen--just as you who read them are helping

make it happen.

The National Federation of the Blind is a

nationwide

organization primarily composed of blind people.

It is the blind

speaking for themselves with their own voice, and

the Kernel

books are an important part of that voice.

I hope you will enjoy this book and that through

its pages

you will make new friends. I also hope that you

will also gain

new insights concerning both toothpaste and

railroad tracks.

Kenneth Jernigan

Baltimore, Maryland

1995

WHY LARGE TYPE?

The type size used in this book is 14 point for

two

important reasons: One, because typesetting of 14

point or larger

complies with federal standards for the printing

of materials for

visually impaired readers, and we wanted to show

you what type

size is helpful for people with limited sight.

The second reason is that many of our friends and

supporters

have asked us to print our paperback books in

14-point type so

they too can easily read them. Many people with

limited sight do

not use Braille. We hope that by printing this

book in a larger

type than customary, many more people will be

able to benefit

from it.