Intro: Toothpaste and Railroad Tracks

Intro: Toothpaste and Railroad Tracks

In 1995, the Kernel Book is called Toothpaste and Railroad Tracks, and the
article by Dr. Jernigan "Of Toothpaste and Shaving Cream." Here are the
"Editor’s Introduction" and that article:

EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION
by Kenneth Jernigan
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

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