Blind drain cleaner

Mr. Johnston was a drain cleaner. And I am not making a joke here; indeed I'm rather in awe. You see, Mr. Johnston was blind. Yet by all accounts he was a fine drain cleaner.

To be sure, he had to have an assistant, someone to drive him to jobs and arrange things. You know, find the cleanout (access point) of the drain and set up the machinery. Then he would lead Mr. Johnston to the opening, give him a pair of gloves and start the cable into the line. But then Mr. Johnston would would take it from there.

I've always understood that blind people have their other senses heightened, and that's how I understand Mr. Johnston did his job. He could feel the cable begin to helix, corkscrew, when it hit a blockage just a bit quicker than others. The sound of the machine gave him clues too as to what was happening. The motor might whine a little bit extra when the machine was under stress. Mr. Johnston could pick that up readily.

It's sounds like a joke but it's true. I knew a blind drain cleaner. By all accounts, he was very good at it.