eating blind

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be blind? To not see the sun everyday or see what you look like in the mirror?  I have.  Call it weird but there were instances when I found myself thinking how I'd cope if I became blind; like those panicky times when my contact lens got stuck inside my eye for a day and I couldn't get to my opthalmologist fast enough. 

During one of those numerous teambuilding activities I've been to, there was this one activity that asked us to choose our own partners and each of us would take turns being blindfolded while the other does the leading.  The lights were then dimmed.  This gave the illusion of blindness to the ones in blindfold.  I can tell you right now it's not a pleasant feeling.  It's not so much as not being able to appreciate things with your eyes but rather the helplessness of it.  Having to depend on someone else to guide you while you walk, eat or even sit isn't fun at all.  Total dependency and trust on one person is kinda scary don't you think?

Anyway, thoughts of blindness was triggered by this article I just read in the NY Times.  It's this new concept restaurant that is cropping all over the globe that calls for dining in the dark.  In this setting, you are literally at the mercy of the waiter.  Some believe the concept allows the other senses to be heightened when sight is deprived, allowing for better appreciation of food in terms of smell and taste;  other such restaurants simply have the most basic reason: to allow the blind to have decent jobs.  It's an interesting concept whichever way you look at it.  One that I'm interested to see happen on our end of the spectrum.

And yes, the waiters/servers are wearing night-vision goggles.