IKEA

We had to go to IKEA on a Saturday, which meant that it was extremely crowded - not good planning. I have grown to hate any kind of crowd since my vision loss because people move unpredictably. I find myself in a constant state of anxiety when people dash in and out of my field of vision. This shopping experience was no exception. Stan is fiercely protective of me and my personal space but even this got to be too much for him. Toward the end of the shop we had to have two carts , so I pulled my shopping cart along beside me with my left hand which is what I found works best as it still allows me to use my white cane in my right hand, and I'm not bumping into things like I would if I simply pushed the cart like I used to. Even still, I bumped into a few things but it wasn't too bad. But as we prepared to leave, we rounded a corner and I panicked - there is a food court at IKEA's exit, and it was packed with shoppers. I stopped dead in my tracks and told Stan that I didn't think I could navigate that space. He said "sure you can" and pulled my cart in behind him. There was a log jam of shoppers right in the doorway. I could see a man's head beside me and I could tell that he desperately wanted by. I apologized (which is something I shouldn't do, but I can't help myself) but what he wanted was to get by so he could help Stan with our carts. He was wonderful! And his actions made up for all the people who had cut me off or entered my personal space. We talked about him off and on all the way home.