Hidden Treasure

I believe we have all heard stories of buried treasure and the treasure maps that would lead some lucky soul to that obscure location that had until now, been beyond reach, beyond sight.

Maybe it was pirates hiding their ill-gotten booty on some deserted island in the middle of the ocean, where you would first have to locate the island and then follow the detailed map that the pirate captain drew on some parchment and tied with a jute string.

Ten paces to the tree that leans left, follow the direction of the largest palm frond 20 paces till you see a black rock, on the rock will be a small scratch that will define the next direction which leads you 45 paces to a second palm tree with roots that protrude through the sand.

Locate the third root to the left of the north face of the tree and “X” marks the spot. I’m sure we can all visualize the wooden chest that is ensconced in the depths of the sand that once lifted from its tomb we find is adorned with brass hinges and a lock with the obligatory, what is known as an antique circle and square opening that will only open for the skeleton key, which always goes with pirates.

Inside you find gold, silver, and jewels beyond imagination, that have been hidden from sight for nigh on a thousand years.

Or maybe you were a western fan and listened to yarns spun around the fire of a mine or cache of treasure that a woe-begotten miner or cow puncher hid from all the would-be thieves and murders that have malice in their hearts and greed in their minds.

Scratched on the back of a random and nondescript piece of rawhide are random almost poetic thoughts, but when placed in the right order leads the cowboy back 20 miles to a baldy mountain with a rock slide on the south slope; traveling south towards that slide a half a mile you will find a spot where the conifer trees reach all the way to heaven.

A rocky outcropping lies 150 yards southeast, where a mountain stream flows to the west side leading to a meadow that reminds you of the woods back home, 250 paces northwest leads you to the largest tree which has a den or hutch from some animal that has long since abandoned it.

Tucked deep in that hutch on the far right side is a sack of misappropriated gold and bills from a heisted stage or bank, tucked away for a later time when the use of these gains will not raise suspicion as to its origin.

To this day there are movies, television shows and even reality shows that center around the hidden treasures that may or may not be buried, hidden or otherwise entombed somewhere on this planet.

These stories have always been a part of our culture and belief system. I’m sure that some of these stories and locations are true. I too believe that there are locations of hidden treasures and artifacts that may be stumbled upon by some unsuspecting traveler, or possibly even by some historical professor with what is believed to be the official map.

For me it’s not the treasure that is the important part in this scenario, it’s the map. The treasure is like everything for me, “out of sight.” And it’s the map that gets me from place to place.

We all live by these maps, it's just that they are not relied on as much by the sighted. Those of you with vision use that to navigate the world as we know it, however, as you do, those treasure maps are being created and stored away.

To demonstrate my point close your eyes and imagine a room in your house – preferably one that you are not currently in, and describe the room including colors furniture and other decor or accents that may be in that room.

You could also describe a scene out one of your windows. Garden, trees along with any other yard decor you may have added along the way.

There’s your map —

I would also be willing to bet that if you closed your eyes, you could navigate that room or yard — maybe slowly, maybe hesitantly but I bet you could. Believe it or not, you have unconsciously counted steps and measured distances your entire life.

Without vision, I now have to do it consciously. Everything is a treasure map and arriving at whatever destination is the treasure. 

— Wake, three paces to the end of the bed, turn left, 6 paces to the door, turn right 3 paces down the hall to the bathroom, turn right 4 paces to the toilet, on the left. —

I like to imagine the famed treasure map that is in every movie and story; brown background to represent ground, black dotted lines for the path, blue to represent the water in the toilet and numbers beside each of the dotted pathways to represent steps.

(Of course, there’s a large “X” written in the "antique pirate script"  or possibly even crossed swords, over the toilet bowl.)

People wonder how I get around so well – it’s the treasure maps. I count every step and I draw maps in my head that both represent what I remember from my days of vision and what I have learned since losing it.

Arriving safely at any destination is the treasure, whether it’s the bathroom or the grocery store, navigating the living room or a downtown street; all of those maps have a hidden place in my mind, rolled up neatly and cashed away where you will need a separate treasure map to find.

– SP

Characters With Disabilities

I’ve had a rough morning and I’m a little riled up so here’s my two cents. Repeat: my two cents. I do not claim to speak for or represent the beliefs of everyone with a disability. However, from my experience with others [with disabilities] most would probably feel the same way.

My wife and I settled down to watch a movie the other night – I covered watching movies and how it’s easier at home in a prior blog. It was really a good movie but it kind of pissed me off.

In this movie, it was strongly inferred that if you didn’t have vision or if you were disabled in any other ways, you were obsolete and probably very alone or dead in the very near future. 

You will probably figure out the title by my rant but I’m not going to mention it here but everyone in this futuristic world lives within a virtual reality state because the world has fallen into ruin and that is the best escape that mankind has come up with.

(Side note, I believe that storyline is a vision of our future. Video games have ruined life and the world as we know it. [People] would rather play a game and live in a virtual world than real life. Again, this is my two cents and that’s a separate rant.)

The issue is ‘what about people with disabilities?’ I have reviewed the book that this movie is based on and in some inexplicable way the author lives in some rare location on this planet that there are no disabilities.

This is the only explanation I can come up with based on the fact that the book NEVER references anyone with a disability.

Did they cure all disabilities in the future? Did they just kill us all off because we weren’t able to add to their new virtual world? Or was it, they spent so much time in their perfect world that they totally just forgot about us and we died off naturally because we had to fend for ourselves in the real world that no longer exists.

I guess in this writer’s world we'd be better off dead because it interferes with his futuristic life and the utopian world that he created in his novel.

I don’t understand how this could be overlooked! I’m not just talking about the blind but what about the severely disabled that rely on others for food, medications and other care? What about individual’s that are paralyzed or otherwise physically unable to play the game?

I can’t believe I’m saying this but here we are – “Fuck it! They just need to die off because they have no use in the real world of gaming!”

I am by no means a fiction writer nor do I have the misconception that I have all the answers to fiction novels but...

INCLUDE CHARACTERS WITH DISABILITIES!!! 

No, not “disabled characters”, put your character before their disability but include it nonetheless. People with disabilities exist in real life, out in the world, living and breathing and going about their days in the same spaces as non-disabled people. (Scary stuff, huh kids.)

If you want realism, include characters with disabilities. We’re all around you. I guarantee you know several people with disabilities even if you don’t think of them that way.

I know that there are many times that people have said to me that they forget that I’m disabled because I do so well amongst the non-disabled. I work very hard at fitting in but that doesn’t mean I want to be totally forgotten and left out.

“But a disabled person can’t be a Soldier/Mercenary/Other Badass fighty character!”

If you’re only aware of 'physical disabilities' that completely limit a person’s mobility, you’re not aware of the diversity of disabilities or the mobility aid options and it’s time to do some research.

Peg-leg, bionic eyes, an arm made of gears and pneumatics, I would even accept going as far as magic potions or holistic treatments. Add someone who has a disability but is in remission, after all, it is the future and none of us really know what is in store.

Get. Creative! These people exist and function in the same spaces as your perfectly able-bodied soldiers/mercenaries/various other badasses.

Let’s say, for whatever reason, your hero must be completely physically and mentally "abled." Do you not have medics? Blacksmiths? Ammunition and weapons experts/providers?

What about family members back home that your badass fights for and returns to once a month? What about the bar/tavern/club/restaurant/dining tent your badass regularly visits – are there no servers or cooks or bartenders that they talk to?

Hell, don't you think it’d be fun, and beyond handy, to have a healer who happens to be paralyzed from the waist down in your crew? One who’s constantly cracking jokes about their own condition? Sure they may not fight because your fighters are only perfectly-abled, but damn are they good at the fixing shit up after.

It also doesn’t have to be a sob story or focused on the poor disabled person. People with disabilities can be ridiculous and funny and fun in general and it doesn’t always revolve around their condition.

They will make jokes about their condition and, given the right people, can be joked with about it. “The right people” varies person to person, but I find for the most part it’s close friends and family members who act as strong support and will also joke about things outside of the person’s disability.

For this, you may want to talk to “real life” (Oh my God, They exist?) people with disabilities; seriously, we’re everywhere.

Again, I can’t speak for all of us but I believe many of us would be happy to tell you if a joke/situation is offensive even within the context of goofing around with a friend.

Hell, I even believe that some of us, myself included, would be willing to answer questions from a total stranger if it’s in the name of providing education and support of people with a disability. 

You don’t have to make the story revolve around your disabled character. It’s like, with all characters it happens occasionally and within context. It’s not hard to throw in the realities of living with a disability every few chapters, or whenever relevant.

Lastly, the topic of using the word(s) “disabled/disability” and naming a diagnosis for me isn’t really a big thing. I can understand how it is for some people, but I am very secure in the fact that I am disabled. 

I have accepted it and after all, I am in charge of my feelings. If I let something as simple as a word upset me then it’s my fault, not the writer/person using that word.

If you make it clear that your character has a disability, show the symptoms and the ways in which they cope/manage/adjust to carrying on with their lives, show their ups and downs and condition management, that’s enough for me.

This might be the area that you upset and offend some people. Some might get mad that you used the word ‘disabled’, some might get mad that you didn’t. Some might get upset that you ‘made up’ your own condition; some might get upset that you named a diagnosis and didn’t portray it in a way they felt was accurate. Unfortunately, this is reality and you just can’t please everyone. 

The best advice I can give is, do your research. Do your best to be sensitive and make an informed decision. Ultimately, I don’t think I’m alone in saying I’d rather see characters with unnamed disabilities portrayed in a positive way than not portrayed at all.

I guess I should take my own advice – You can’t please everyone.

        –SP