March 11, 2024 • 27 mins
Disability World with Norma Stanley welcomes Doug and Garnetta Allen
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hi, My name is Norman Stanleyand welcome to Disability World. Hello,
(00:36):
and welcome to Disability World, wherewe discuss various topics for and about the
disability community. And some of thepeople that we have are community leaders,
individuals, people from politics, entertainment, business, sports, music, at
you name it. We have differenttypes of guests here on Disability World,
and I'm excited about the guests wehave today. It's a married couple.
(01:02):
Their name is Doug and Garnett Allan. And again this is the month of
February, so we're gonna be talkingabout love and relationships just a little bit,
and we want to talk about theirlittle love and relationship as a married
couple who are both citing paired.So we're gonna talk to Doug and Garnett
right now. Hello Doug and Garnett. How are you? But thank you
(01:29):
so much for taking time out tobe a part of a Disability World today.
You know, I wanted to talkto you guys because I so admire
how you do everything together, howyou really take time out to support each
other and you know, despite thechallenges you have in terms of you know,
your site challenges. So I wantedto talk to you because you know
(01:51):
you've you've been married, you knowyou just recently celebrated an anniversary, And
just to show people that just becauseyou have disabilities and each one of you
have your own challenges, doesn't meanyou can't live a full, incomplete life.
So I wanted you to talk alittle bit about that. As a
couple and as individuals. You startfirst gutting it and tell us a little
(02:12):
bit about you, and then Doug, you can tell us a little about
yourself. Well. To start out, I am a singer. I am
with show Undy and who's a chorusI'd sing out to home. I love
to swim, I love reading,and I'm currently trying to get into schoo
for paralegal. Okay, okay,and what about you, Doug, Well,
(02:37):
my name is Doug Allen and Iam just enjoying life with my wife
overall. Okay, with your musiciantoo, right. Yes, I'm a
base player. Yes, I've beenplaying at base for forty five years now,
I believe, and I just lovedlife. I am still in love
(03:00):
with my wife. Just met herand I feel good. She's my partner,
you know, m h. Notonly my schoolmates, she's my partner.
You know, well, tell ushow did you to meet and tell
us about your challenges, because youknow your individual site impairment, which what
what do you have and how you'reworking through that individually and as a couple.
(03:25):
Well, me, I don't seeanything at all, totally blind,
and I have I cane, mysaying, I came, that's my number
one partner. Any time I goanywhere, I go with my cane,
and and it's a great helpmate tome. So I don't use being blind
(03:46):
as a crutch. It's just thatI tell a person I don't see the
way I used to. But overall, I feel fine about life. And
when I'm going now she walked,I said, still had some sight.
She walked into this room that weusually go to every Thursday support group meeting,
(04:13):
and she walked in and I sawher silhouette, silhouette in the doorway,
and when she walked in, Isaid, that's me right there.
You know, I just felt it, you know, And that's how we
met. The day we met andeverything, and we went on throughout the
meeting. We spoke to each other, We talked, and I showed her
(04:36):
some things to help her to makelife easier as far as having a visual
infairent. And when I actually gotto touch her, because she was saying
how she has a tendency of knockingthings over on the table and I said,
I don't want to show you howyou'll never knock anything over again in
life. And I said I haveto touch you. Is that all right?
(04:58):
She said yes. I said,need you to hold your palms up
skyward and I said, I'm wantto touch you so and when I touched
the palm, I said, thisis how you you you seek for what
you're looking for. You just rubyour hands across the table. You see,
no more airway airway looking, justreaching across like you can see.
(05:21):
And I said, this is whatyou can feel, what you're looking for
and easily identified, and you'll neverknocked anything over again. And I said,
if I see you again, Iwant you to get married report of
how you haven't knocked anything over againsince you've used this technique. And when
I touched it, I said,oh my goodness, Oh this is me.
(05:43):
Yeah, I said this, yeah, this is me. And man,
you know, we talked throughout themeeting and then she asked me.
She said, oh, you're anair personality. I said, air personality.
Are you speaking to me? Andshe said yeah you. I said,
no, I'm not, but itmade me feel good that she at
least acknowledged me. She recognized methroughout the meeting. And she came back
(06:08):
to the meeting maybe three weeks later, and I said, Hey, who
is that sitting over there? Shesaid, this is going there and we
were down in the break room.I said, everybody gonna let us here,
and she was sitting pretty much inthe back of me, and I
said, hey, you got tiktoks? Well you think something for my brother.
(06:29):
My throat is dry and she said, yeah, I got a chick
and I said cool. And wewere close to each other, so when
she was giving me the candy,I said cool. I said, look
here, next time we're just close, you better be kissing. I ain't
trying to get none started. Isaid, I'm just I'm just being real
(06:49):
with you, sister, that's all. And we laughed and everything, and
we didn't kiss that day or anything, but me ended up going to Chick
fil A together for lunch, andwe would always go to Chick fil A
every Thursday, but she would comedown for the meet and we would go
to Chick fil A, So Ilooked forward to her because she was my
(07:11):
Chick fil a day walking in thereand argue, I said, who was
on pay for it? You know? I said, I got don't want?
She said, no, I gotit. I said, look,
I got it. And it's staffingthat got to know us from seeing us
every week. He said, ohboy, you two again. She said
you can't take a man nowhere,and I said, oh boy, what
(07:33):
you have is his memory correct inher? Because sometimes guys don't remember the
same things we remember. You tellhim that he was out of his everlasting
blaky black wind when he said Iwas going to be his wife and I
ended up. It was Mark twentyfirst, twenty seven, March twenty seven,
(08:00):
and I can remember because it wasa leap beard. I asked him
to marry me, really, okay, yes, it was very and he's
like I had nobody asked me tomarry them. It was the first time
for everything. So what was itabout Doug? Because he said, you
know something about you that he justknew. What was it about him that
(08:24):
you knew that he was doing?I come here to Atlanta looking for a
one man band, and I wasvery just spurged because they sent me down
to the underground here in Atlanta,Georgia, and that was not the place.
And when I found out that Iwas having eyesight problems, they sent
me to CBI and that's where wemet. Because I had myopia. I
(08:48):
can't see things far away and Ican't see at night. But to him,
he's unique. He is just likea regular person and I respect him
for that, and he respects me. And even though with a little site
I have, I'm his audience andI can tell him, hey, bruth,
(09:09):
this is not right, or heylet's do this, let's do that,
because we enjoy a lot of stufftogether, Okay, And I love
him for just him being her.That's beautiful. And as you said,
it was vc I. That's theorganization. No, no CBII, CBI
Center Provisioning Pair. Okay. Justwant to make sure that you explained what
(09:31):
that was, yay. And sohow long have you guys been married now?
Seven years now? Okay, sevenyears now. We've been corrible for
six before we decided to get new. Okay, so you've been together about
fourteen years now. Yes, that'sawesome, awesome, And so tell us
(09:54):
about you know, like you said, I noticed just being a part of
the the inclusive course myself, thatyou guys do everything together and you seem
to enjoy each other's company, becausethat's kind of hard, you know,
being around your your your your spouseoften. I mean, that's that's that's
not easy to do, you know, separate from you know, when you're
(10:15):
working together, it's almost like you'reworking together because in a way that because
of the poorest stuff, and he'sfollowing and participating in the events that that
we have to do. How doyou guys work those kinds of challenges out
so that there's no conflict. Wesupport each other in every way, in
(10:37):
every aspect. We support each other. If you go and ask about Doug
and Garnetta, I guarantee you theyknow us very well. When you see
one, you'll see each other.So we don't you know, sometimes he'll
go his way and sometimes I gomine, but at the end of the
day we both be together. Yeah. Yeah, So Valentine's did y'all have
(11:03):
a good Valentine that just went by? Yes? Yes, yes, you
do anything special and every day tous is special. Every day is Valentine's.
Valentine's birthday, Christmas is every day, so we don't celebrate just you
(11:24):
know, on our birthday or Valentine'sDay or Christmas. We celebrate every day
because we take a day as itcomes and acknowledge. So you again,
exactly? Uh huh, I saythat again? Sorry what you say?
I give an example of the waywe rolled together. Yesterday I was looking
(11:46):
for some hues and I was ata shoe store and the brother just couldn't
help me. Who worked there,He just couldn't help me. So another
help made of his work made ofit, came over. Hey, man,
I got you, Man, Igot you so sure was sitting sitting
there getting frustrated because I'm telling thebrothers what I'm looking for, and she
(12:09):
said, I'll be I'll be rightback. I said, okay, and
she came back with the shoes thatI was looking for. After hearing hearing
Doug describe what type of shoe hewanted, they had a whole bunch of
shoes. And I can just abouttell what Doug likes and what he doesn't
like because we've been around each otherso long. Sure, and when I
(12:33):
found the shoe, they was gonnagive him a size fourteen shoe and say,
go to Walmart and get some insolesto put him the shoe. I'm
like, no, y'all got atwist. This man shirts to putting his
shoes for work. I wasn't feelingthat, and I know he wasn't.
So I came back instead of givingyears the right size exactly, I found
the right size. I found thecolor that he was wanting. I mean,
(12:56):
they may have taken me a littlewhile to do it, at least
I acknowledge, Hey, Doug,I'll be right back. I just don't
go and just leave him. Oryou know how how people, for example,
they talk at you and not toyou, you know, not going
together, and if it's something hewant you talk to him because they have
(13:18):
a habit of talking and they're lookingat me. No, you're looking at
the wrong person, right the uggis talking to you. They should be
facing him and talking to him andnot at him. And it's like,
we've been together, and I hopethen we be together. From to them
doors Park. Amen. So someof the challenges that you just bring,
(13:41):
some of the chance, some ofthe challenges you have in terms of the
support when you're not together, youknow, or even when you are together,
you know, getting around traveling,do you have do you encounter situations
that have been challenging or frustrating thoselittle about that, Yes, I have
(14:03):
my challenges were going. I wantedto ride on the bus because when they
say that you have a disability,we don't even claim that we don't have
a disability. We're just like normalpeople. But when we get on the
bus, they treat us like,uh no, like we had a play
wow. And I'm like, no, we're human, just like everybody else.
(14:26):
And trust me, I do complain. I do complain and they kill
me when they say, oh,I'm sorry that happened to you, And
I'm like, well, if it'shappening to me, it could be happening
to somebody else. It just sohappened. I'm not gonna let them reil
road. This is why I wantto go into Paralipo because I like to
(14:48):
do researching. I'm not gonna letthat happen to us. And we can
share that even with the world.Hey, let them know that we are
alive. We are somebody. It'slike everybody. If that makes any sense,
absolutely, absolutely, because you wantto be treated like anybody else who
is capable and who has something tocould contribute. It's treated and and and
(15:13):
that's really what people with disabilities want. It's a fair share as everything,
just like black people and Latino people, a fair share just what we're supposed
to get. We're not trying totake yours, just what we have the
right to have, you know,right, and we have the right to
(15:35):
be respected as an individual of regardlessto what handicap we have. And that's
why I love it. I lovewhen she goes to the doctor's office with
me when I have doctors, becauseshe speaks to the doctor. She asked
them questions and I'll be like,man, I wouldn't even though into that,
(15:56):
And the doctor's be like, man, that's a great question, missus.
You know. Wow, you know, let me look into that for
you, you know, and sheshould take the whole visit something to a
whole other level. And I justsit there and just say, Hey,
it's my partner, that's my soulmay here. Yeah, that's what I'm
(16:18):
talking about. And you know,she has a way of just looking out
for me, and so I'm justI just love her so much and I'm
grateful for her, and I thankGod for ordering my steps to be with
her because I'm straight. I'm straight, and I'm truly blessed and don't get
(16:38):
it wrong. Now, yes,we do have days that we don't get
along with each other, but weknow how to go to it. That's
part of being married. Yes,and it's really good because it's an experience.
Yeah, there's nothing wrong with that. I mean your individuals, so
(16:59):
not everything is going to be exactlythe same. You're gonna have your own
thoughts, your own ideas, yourown perspectives on whatever you know. But
you still in the end support eachother in what your you know, your
goals and dreams are for your youryour marriage, and for yourself as a
married couple. So that's a beautifulthing. So let me ask you something.
(17:22):
Do you guys are you guys activein voters? I mean in the
in the political scene. How doesthat work when you go to vote?
Do you find any challenges that thatkeeps you from trying to, you know,
make that privilege happen. Oh?Yes, and you very believe I
corrected it one hundred percent. Ourlast experience where we had went to the
(17:47):
voting poll to vote. No,can't see, but they're going to direct
him to the poll and say here, here you are, go ahead.
No, that's not what you do. I'm stopping what I'm you know,
after I got them voting and I'mhelping him, They're like, oh,
you can't do that, and I'mlike, nobody else is going to do
(18:07):
it for so either they have tocome up with some type of object or
some type of facility or equipment.So now they have this equipment with the
earphones on and it will tell himhow to press the button, how to
go to the next page. Andso it took a long time to do
(18:29):
that, twok three voting years todo that. Okay, so now we're
secure. We go back to thesame place and they know who we are.
Okay, yeah, we got assistancefor you. And one time we
went we had two minyas. I'mlike, okay, wait a minute.
But it was good. It turnedout really well and we had no problems.
They gave us a stick through.We're like, yeah, we vote.
(18:52):
They like, you have to educatethem on what was needed. And
I'm surprised that you didn't know.How could they not know? You couldn't
be the only people who they havesome psyche challenges that they didn't want to
vote. I'm not going to saythat they didn't care. They didn't ask,
right, but I'm saying up,yeah, so you spoke up.
You have to advocate for yourself inthat space. In that space, wow,
(19:15):
yeah, and is very helpful.I had to describe to them what
I needed for Doug. They're like, oh, we don't have this type
of equipment, but praise God,they have the the Uh it's a box
(19:37):
and he's speaks into it. Hegets all his stations. It tells him
what the story is about you.He's one of the old fashioned Andy Griffin
and okay it's the other one goldengirls masks, but so that mm so
that he can hear it because hecan't see it. Took them a long
(20:00):
time to give them that because wehad they had competition a at and t
well, we can do this here, No you can't. So we went
with expinnity. When we go tothe movies, they have the facility,
the equipment where he can put iton his ears and the lady advocates every
detail. So that's just like lookingagain. And he just received this new
(20:26):
or camp where he can now readhis menus without somebody trying to read it
to us and frowning and everything like, can't you see hold up? No,
no, no, no, no, no, oh wow, that's
not that's not going to even formout of your mind. Now we can
go to the restaurant. He canread his own. He can either put
(20:47):
the earphones in and it reads tohim, or he can have it read
out loud. Exactly what is onthe menus, his prescriptions, the serial
boxes. And I'm like, hey, life is beautiful, that's great.
And what did you call this pieceof equipment that he has that when you
go out? What is it called? It's camor cam? They have been
(21:07):
advertising it on Facebook, okay,and I've done some research and after I
did my research, I turned itover to the Veterans Administration so that they
can go ahead and test it.And he just got it a week ago.
He just got it a week agobecause they said, hey, you
know, this is a good idea. It may be expensive, but who
(21:30):
cares about the dollars. We're justtrying to help him and other people read
live the best life possible. Yes, ma'am right. And see I have
a scanner as well, and ascanner it reads my mail to me,
you know, I'm able to paymy bills and different things, and I'm
(21:52):
able to read books again because Iwas an avid reader. I'm able to
read again. I love to goback there in the room and just read.
Yeah, I love it. Isometimes they have to knock on my
daughter. He's still alive, Imean, living his life and that's yeah,
(22:12):
and that makes me happy knowing thathe's doing something that he likes to
do and it's not putting him downor I wish I could see again,
and he's he's so limited, right, awesome, So we only have a
few more minutes. But I mean, just tell people from your perspective,
you know that as a couple,as individuals with you know, with some
(22:37):
PSCH impairments, how much you areenjoying your lives. That's while you have
to advocate for yourself. Well,I'm living life and enjoying life as if
I were seeing you see. Andit's beautiful because I have my soul made
with me. You see, it'snow myself because it's a different when I'm
(23:02):
out there about myself. But theleast I'm able to get out of the
through training and to help with myscene, and I can I can get
out there I can travel and comeand go as I as I please to.
But because God has blessed me withthe woman that he has blessed me
with, I'm straight. I gota partner now, you see. And
it's not like I have to aska stranger this and that, and you
(23:26):
know, and I have a dollarbill identify. Her tells me to don
the denominations of my money. SoI've give my money together before I leave
home. She got me there,you see. I get my money together
before I leave home and put itin certain pockets. And oh, I
hold certain bills certain ways, soI know what I'm dealing with when it
(23:47):
comes with my money. And Ihave a color identifier to put on my
clothes and press the button and tellme what colors I'm winning for the day
and things things like that. Soif there was ever a time I'm not
to see, it's now because wehave so many aids and helpmates. That's
(24:08):
it's just beautiful and it's incredible,you know. But God has allowed man
to produce. But those of uswith this disability, I never call myself
blind. I just say I don'tsee the way I used to. And
I'm enjoying life to tell you.I mean, none of us see things
(24:33):
we used to when we were younger, So I hate tested that myself.
So what about you getting it upbefore we have to close. I feel
the same way as Dog. I'mjust thankful that I met him. I
am thankful that we are going throughall this everything, the disability us growing
(24:55):
up and I still say growing upbecause we're still kids and every day is
never dune one. But as longas we had the trust in each other
and that love, can nothing takethat away. With the faith of God.
Well, I thank you guys fortaking the time out just to share
a little bit about your story.I just think you guys are so cute,
(25:15):
and I thank God that you guysmet each other and that you are
living your best lives together. Andyou know you said you I think you
said you have something like six sixgrandchildren, and you know you have a
bunch of big family. Yes,two great grandchildren and adult Yeah that's all
(25:38):
right, that's all right. Sowell, thank you again, and we
look forward to seeing you guys soonat another I chorus inclusive chorus rehearsal as
well as gig that I'm sure wehave coming up out the I think there's
a concert coming up in March toit. Yeah, yep, yeah,
(26:00):
So we're looking forward to probably havinga few people from the Inclusive Chorus come
on and speak about their lives andwhat they're doing individually separate from the chorus.
So again, we thank you guysfor talking a little bit about your
love story in this month of Love, and we appreciate you taking the time
out be blessed. Well, thankyou again. I love the fact that
(26:26):
they can advocate for each other andthat they see see the bright light of
the individuals that they both have thatthey can offer to each other. That
I just think it's a beautiful lovestory and I'm blessed to know them through
(26:47):
what we do with the show AbilityInclusive Chorus, and I love to see
them together. They just look likethey have the best time at all times,
and so I wish them nothing butcontinued love and blessings. And I
thank you for taking time out tocheck out our Disability World show today and
(27:07):
until next time, be blessed.
Hi, My name is Norman Stanleyand welcome to Disability World. Hello,
(00:36):
and welcome to Disability World, wherewe discuss various topics for and about the
disability community. And some of thepeople that we have are community leaders,
individuals, people from politics, entertainment, business, sports, music, at
you name it. We have differenttypes of guests here on Disability World,
and I'm excited about the guests wehave today. It's a married couple.
(01:02):
Their name is Doug and Garnett Allan. And again this is the month of
February, so we're gonna be talkingabout love and relationships just a little bit,
and we want to talk about theirlittle love and relationship as a married
couple who are both citing paired.So we're gonna talk to Doug and Garnett
right now. Hello Doug and Garnett. How are you? But thank you
(01:29):
so much for taking time out tobe a part of a Disability World today.
You know, I wanted to talkto you guys because I so admire
how you do everything together, howyou really take time out to support each
other and you know, despite thechallenges you have in terms of you know,
your site challenges. So I wantedto talk to you because you know
(01:51):
you've you've been married, you knowyou just recently celebrated an anniversary, And
just to show people that just becauseyou have disabilities and each one of you
have your own challenges, doesn't meanyou can't live a full, incomplete life.
So I wanted you to talk alittle bit about that. As a
couple and as individuals. You startfirst gutting it and tell us a little
(02:12):
bit about you, and then Doug, you can tell us a little about
yourself. Well. To start out, I am a singer. I am
with show Undy and who's a chorusI'd sing out to home. I love
to swim, I love reading,and I'm currently trying to get into schoo
for paralegal. Okay, okay,and what about you, Doug, Well,
(02:37):
my name is Doug Allen and Iam just enjoying life with my wife
overall. Okay, with your musiciantoo, right. Yes, I'm a
base player. Yes, I've beenplaying at base for forty five years now,
I believe, and I just lovedlife. I am still in love
(03:00):
with my wife. Just met herand I feel good. She's my partner,
you know, m h. Notonly my schoolmates, she's my partner.
You know, well, tell ushow did you to meet and tell
us about your challenges, because youknow your individual site impairment, which what
what do you have and how you'reworking through that individually and as a couple.
(03:25):
Well, me, I don't seeanything at all, totally blind,
and I have I cane, mysaying, I came, that's my number
one partner. Any time I goanywhere, I go with my cane,
and and it's a great helpmate tome. So I don't use being blind
(03:46):
as a crutch. It's just thatI tell a person I don't see the
way I used to. But overall, I feel fine about life. And
when I'm going now she walked,I said, still had some sight.
She walked into this room that weusually go to every Thursday support group meeting,
(04:13):
and she walked in and I sawher silhouette, silhouette in the doorway,
and when she walked in, Isaid, that's me right there.
You know, I just felt it, you know, And that's how we
met. The day we met andeverything, and we went on throughout the
meeting. We spoke to each other, We talked, and I showed her
(04:36):
some things to help her to makelife easier as far as having a visual
infairent. And when I actually gotto touch her, because she was saying
how she has a tendency of knockingthings over on the table and I said,
I don't want to show you howyou'll never knock anything over again in
life. And I said I haveto touch you. Is that all right?
(04:58):
She said yes. I said,need you to hold your palms up
skyward and I said, I'm wantto touch you so and when I touched
the palm, I said, thisis how you you you seek for what
you're looking for. You just rubyour hands across the table. You see,
no more airway airway looking, justreaching across like you can see.
(05:21):
And I said, this is whatyou can feel, what you're looking for
and easily identified, and you'll neverknocked anything over again. And I said,
if I see you again, Iwant you to get married report of
how you haven't knocked anything over againsince you've used this technique. And when
I touched it, I said,oh my goodness, Oh this is me.
(05:43):
Yeah, I said this, yeah, this is me. And man,
you know, we talked throughout themeeting and then she asked me.
She said, oh, you're anair personality. I said, air personality.
Are you speaking to me? Andshe said yeah you. I said,
no, I'm not, but itmade me feel good that she at
least acknowledged me. She recognized methroughout the meeting. And she came back
(06:08):
to the meeting maybe three weeks later, and I said, Hey, who
is that sitting over there? Shesaid, this is going there and we
were down in the break room.I said, everybody gonna let us here,
and she was sitting pretty much inthe back of me, and I
said, hey, you got tiktoks? Well you think something for my brother.
(06:29):
My throat is dry and she said, yeah, I got a chick
and I said cool. And wewere close to each other, so when
she was giving me the candy,I said cool. I said, look
here, next time we're just close, you better be kissing. I ain't
trying to get none started. Isaid, I'm just I'm just being real
(06:49):
with you, sister, that's all. And we laughed and everything, and
we didn't kiss that day or anything, but me ended up going to Chick
fil A together for lunch, andwe would always go to Chick fil A
every Thursday, but she would comedown for the meet and we would go
to Chick fil A, So Ilooked forward to her because she was my
(07:11):
Chick fil a day walking in thereand argue, I said, who was
on pay for it? You know? I said, I got don't want?
She said, no, I gotit. I said, look,
I got it. And it's staffingthat got to know us from seeing us
every week. He said, ohboy, you two again. She said
you can't take a man nowhere,and I said, oh boy, what
(07:33):
you have is his memory correct inher? Because sometimes guys don't remember the
same things we remember. You tellhim that he was out of his everlasting
blaky black wind when he said Iwas going to be his wife and I
ended up. It was Mark twentyfirst, twenty seven, March twenty seven,
(08:00):
and I can remember because it wasa leap beard. I asked him
to marry me, really, okay, yes, it was very and he's
like I had nobody asked me tomarry them. It was the first time
for everything. So what was itabout Doug? Because he said, you
know something about you that he justknew. What was it about him that
(08:24):
you knew that he was doing?I come here to Atlanta looking for a
one man band, and I wasvery just spurged because they sent me down
to the underground here in Atlanta,Georgia, and that was not the place.
And when I found out that Iwas having eyesight problems, they sent
me to CBI and that's where wemet. Because I had myopia. I
(08:48):
can't see things far away and Ican't see at night. But to him,
he's unique. He is just likea regular person and I respect him
for that, and he respects me. And even though with a little site
I have, I'm his audience andI can tell him, hey, bruth,
(09:09):
this is not right, or heylet's do this, let's do that,
because we enjoy a lot of stufftogether, Okay, And I love
him for just him being her.That's beautiful. And as you said,
it was vc I. That's theorganization. No, no CBII, CBI
Center Provisioning Pair. Okay. Justwant to make sure that you explained what
(09:31):
that was, yay. And sohow long have you guys been married now?
Seven years now? Okay, sevenyears now. We've been corrible for
six before we decided to get new. Okay, so you've been together about
fourteen years now. Yes, that'sawesome, awesome, And so tell us
(09:54):
about you know, like you said, I noticed just being a part of
the the inclusive course myself, thatyou guys do everything together and you seem
to enjoy each other's company, becausethat's kind of hard, you know,
being around your your your your spouseoften. I mean, that's that's that's
not easy to do, you know, separate from you know, when you're
(10:15):
working together, it's almost like you'reworking together because in a way that because
of the poorest stuff, and he'sfollowing and participating in the events that that
we have to do. How doyou guys work those kinds of challenges out
so that there's no conflict. Wesupport each other in every way, in
(10:37):
every aspect. We support each other. If you go and ask about Doug
and Garnetta, I guarantee you theyknow us very well. When you see
one, you'll see each other.So we don't you know, sometimes he'll
go his way and sometimes I gomine, but at the end of the
day we both be together. Yeah. Yeah, So Valentine's did y'all have
(11:03):
a good Valentine that just went by? Yes? Yes, yes, you
do anything special and every day tous is special. Every day is Valentine's.
Valentine's birthday, Christmas is every day, so we don't celebrate just you
(11:24):
know, on our birthday or Valentine'sDay or Christmas. We celebrate every day
because we take a day as itcomes and acknowledge. So you again,
exactly? Uh huh, I saythat again? Sorry what you say?
I give an example of the waywe rolled together. Yesterday I was looking
(11:46):
for some hues and I was ata shoe store and the brother just couldn't
help me. Who worked there,He just couldn't help me. So another
help made of his work made ofit, came over. Hey, man,
I got you, Man, Igot you so sure was sitting sitting
there getting frustrated because I'm telling thebrothers what I'm looking for, and she
(12:09):
said, I'll be I'll be rightback. I said, okay, and
she came back with the shoes thatI was looking for. After hearing hearing
Doug describe what type of shoe hewanted, they had a whole bunch of
shoes. And I can just abouttell what Doug likes and what he doesn't
like because we've been around each otherso long. Sure, and when I
(12:33):
found the shoe, they was gonnagive him a size fourteen shoe and say,
go to Walmart and get some insolesto put him the shoe. I'm
like, no, y'all got atwist. This man shirts to putting his
shoes for work. I wasn't feelingthat, and I know he wasn't.
So I came back instead of givingyears the right size exactly, I found
the right size. I found thecolor that he was wanting. I mean,
(12:56):
they may have taken me a littlewhile to do it, at least
I acknowledge, Hey, Doug,I'll be right back. I just don't
go and just leave him. Oryou know how how people, for example,
they talk at you and not toyou, you know, not going
together, and if it's something hewant you talk to him because they have
(13:18):
a habit of talking and they're lookingat me. No, you're looking at
the wrong person, right the uggis talking to you. They should be
facing him and talking to him andnot at him. And it's like,
we've been together, and I hopethen we be together. From to them
doors Park. Amen. So someof the challenges that you just bring,
(13:41):
some of the chance, some ofthe challenges you have in terms of the
support when you're not together, youknow, or even when you are together,
you know, getting around traveling,do you have do you encounter situations
that have been challenging or frustrating thoselittle about that, Yes, I have
(14:03):
my challenges were going. I wantedto ride on the bus because when they
say that you have a disability,we don't even claim that we don't have
a disability. We're just like normalpeople. But when we get on the
bus, they treat us like,uh no, like we had a play
wow. And I'm like, no, we're human, just like everybody else.
(14:26):
And trust me, I do complain. I do complain and they kill
me when they say, oh,I'm sorry that happened to you, And
I'm like, well, if it'shappening to me, it could be happening
to somebody else. It just sohappened. I'm not gonna let them reil
road. This is why I wantto go into Paralipo because I like to
(14:48):
do researching. I'm not gonna letthat happen to us. And we can
share that even with the world.Hey, let them know that we are
alive. We are somebody. It'slike everybody. If that makes any sense,
absolutely, absolutely, because you wantto be treated like anybody else who
is capable and who has something tocould contribute. It's treated and and and
(15:13):
that's really what people with disabilities want. It's a fair share as everything,
just like black people and Latino people, a fair share just what we're supposed
to get. We're not trying totake yours, just what we have the
right to have, you know,right, and we have the right to
(15:35):
be respected as an individual of regardlessto what handicap we have. And that's
why I love it. I lovewhen she goes to the doctor's office with
me when I have doctors, becauseshe speaks to the doctor. She asked
them questions and I'll be like,man, I wouldn't even though into that,
(15:56):
And the doctor's be like, man, that's a great question, missus.
You know. Wow, you know, let me look into that for
you, you know, and sheshould take the whole visit something to a
whole other level. And I justsit there and just say, Hey,
it's my partner, that's my soulmay here. Yeah, that's what I'm
(16:18):
talking about. And you know,she has a way of just looking out
for me, and so I'm justI just love her so much and I'm
grateful for her, and I thankGod for ordering my steps to be with
her because I'm straight. I'm straight, and I'm truly blessed and don't get
(16:38):
it wrong. Now, yes,we do have days that we don't get
along with each other, but weknow how to go to it. That's
part of being married. Yes,and it's really good because it's an experience.
Yeah, there's nothing wrong with that. I mean your individuals, so
(16:59):
not everything is going to be exactlythe same. You're gonna have your own
thoughts, your own ideas, yourown perspectives on whatever you know. But
you still in the end support eachother in what your you know, your
goals and dreams are for your youryour marriage, and for yourself as a
married couple. So that's a beautifulthing. So let me ask you something.
(17:22):
Do you guys are you guys activein voters? I mean in the
in the political scene. How doesthat work when you go to vote?
Do you find any challenges that thatkeeps you from trying to, you know,
make that privilege happen. Oh?Yes, and you very believe I
corrected it one hundred percent. Ourlast experience where we had went to the
(17:47):
voting poll to vote. No,can't see, but they're going to direct
him to the poll and say here, here you are, go ahead.
No, that's not what you do. I'm stopping what I'm you know,
after I got them voting and I'mhelping him, They're like, oh,
you can't do that, and I'mlike, nobody else is going to do
(18:07):
it for so either they have tocome up with some type of object or
some type of facility or equipment.So now they have this equipment with the
earphones on and it will tell himhow to press the button, how to
go to the next page. Andso it took a long time to do
(18:29):
that, twok three voting years todo that. Okay, so now we're
secure. We go back to thesame place and they know who we are.
Okay, yeah, we got assistancefor you. And one time we
went we had two minyas. I'mlike, okay, wait a minute.
But it was good. It turnedout really well and we had no problems.
They gave us a stick through.We're like, yeah, we vote.
(18:52):
They like, you have to educatethem on what was needed. And
I'm surprised that you didn't know.How could they not know? You couldn't
be the only people who they havesome psyche challenges that they didn't want to
vote. I'm not going to saythat they didn't care. They didn't ask,
right, but I'm saying up,yeah, so you spoke up.
You have to advocate for yourself inthat space. In that space, wow,
(19:15):
yeah, and is very helpful.I had to describe to them what
I needed for Doug. They're like, oh, we don't have this type
of equipment, but praise God,they have the the Uh it's a box
(19:37):
and he's speaks into it. Hegets all his stations. It tells him
what the story is about you.He's one of the old fashioned Andy Griffin
and okay it's the other one goldengirls masks, but so that mm so
that he can hear it because hecan't see it. Took them a long
(20:00):
time to give them that because wehad they had competition a at and t
well, we can do this here, No you can't. So we went
with expinnity. When we go tothe movies, they have the facility,
the equipment where he can put iton his ears and the lady advocates every
detail. So that's just like lookingagain. And he just received this new
(20:26):
or camp where he can now readhis menus without somebody trying to read it
to us and frowning and everything like, can't you see hold up? No,
no, no, no, no, no, oh wow, that's
not that's not going to even formout of your mind. Now we can
go to the restaurant. He canread his own. He can either put
(20:47):
the earphones in and it reads tohim, or he can have it read
out loud. Exactly what is onthe menus, his prescriptions, the serial
boxes. And I'm like, hey, life is beautiful, that's great.
And what did you call this pieceof equipment that he has that when you
go out? What is it called? It's camor cam? They have been
(21:07):
advertising it on Facebook, okay,and I've done some research and after I
did my research, I turned itover to the Veterans Administration so that they
can go ahead and test it.And he just got it a week ago.
He just got it a week agobecause they said, hey, you
know, this is a good idea. It may be expensive, but who
(21:30):
cares about the dollars. We're justtrying to help him and other people read
live the best life possible. Yes, ma'am right. And see I have
a scanner as well, and ascanner it reads my mail to me,
you know, I'm able to paymy bills and different things, and I'm
(21:52):
able to read books again because Iwas an avid reader. I'm able to
read again. I love to goback there in the room and just read.
Yeah, I love it. Isometimes they have to knock on my
daughter. He's still alive, Imean, living his life and that's yeah,
(22:12):
and that makes me happy knowing thathe's doing something that he likes to
do and it's not putting him downor I wish I could see again,
and he's he's so limited, right, awesome, So we only have a
few more minutes. But I mean, just tell people from your perspective,
you know that as a couple,as individuals with you know, with some
(22:37):
PSCH impairments, how much you areenjoying your lives. That's while you have
to advocate for yourself. Well,I'm living life and enjoying life as if
I were seeing you see. Andit's beautiful because I have my soul made
with me. You see, it'snow myself because it's a different when I'm
(23:02):
out there about myself. But theleast I'm able to get out of the
through training and to help with myscene, and I can I can get
out there I can travel and comeand go as I as I please to.
But because God has blessed me withthe woman that he has blessed me
with, I'm straight. I gota partner now, you see. And
it's not like I have to aska stranger this and that, and you
(23:26):
know, and I have a dollarbill identify. Her tells me to don
the denominations of my money. SoI've give my money together before I leave
home. She got me there,you see. I get my money together
before I leave home and put itin certain pockets. And oh, I
hold certain bills certain ways, soI know what I'm dealing with when it
(23:47):
comes with my money. And Ihave a color identifier to put on my
clothes and press the button and tellme what colors I'm winning for the day
and things things like that. Soif there was ever a time I'm not
to see, it's now because wehave so many aids and helpmates. That's
(24:08):
it's just beautiful and it's incredible,you know. But God has allowed man
to produce. But those of uswith this disability, I never call myself
blind. I just say I don'tsee the way I used to. And
I'm enjoying life to tell you.I mean, none of us see things
(24:33):
we used to when we were younger, So I hate tested that myself.
So what about you getting it upbefore we have to close. I feel
the same way as Dog. I'mjust thankful that I met him. I
am thankful that we are going throughall this everything, the disability us growing
(24:55):
up and I still say growing upbecause we're still kids and every day is
never dune one. But as longas we had the trust in each other
and that love, can nothing takethat away. With the faith of God.
Well, I thank you guys fortaking the time out just to share
a little bit about your story.I just think you guys are so cute,
(25:15):
and I thank God that you guysmet each other and that you are
living your best lives together. Andyou know you said you I think you
said you have something like six sixgrandchildren, and you know you have a
bunch of big family. Yes,two great grandchildren and adult Yeah that's all
(25:38):
right, that's all right. Sowell, thank you again, and we
look forward to seeing you guys soonat another I chorus inclusive chorus rehearsal as
well as gig that I'm sure wehave coming up out the I think there's
a concert coming up in March toit. Yeah, yep, yeah,
(26:00):
So we're looking forward to probably havinga few people from the Inclusive Chorus come
on and speak about their lives andwhat they're doing individually separate from the chorus.
So again, we thank you guysfor talking a little bit about your
love story in this month of Love, and we appreciate you taking the time
out be blessed. Well, thankyou again. I love the fact that
(26:26):
they can advocate for each other andthat they see see the bright light of
the individuals that they both have thatthey can offer to each other. That
I just think it's a beautiful lovestory and I'm blessed to know them through
(26:47):
what we do with the show AbilityInclusive Chorus, and I love to see
them together. They just look likethey have the best time at all times,
and so I wish them nothing butcontinued love and blessings. And I
thank you for taking time out tocheck out our Disability World show today and
(27:07):
until next time, be blessed.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.