Anna walked along the street, her cane tip tapping in front of her. She walked like an expert, despite the disadvantages. She had opted for a guide dog, but had eventually settled for her own comforts.Adrian sat not far away, watching her. He had been watching her for a while. He saw Anna fall into a bin, side step into incoming traffic, escaping the danger with the help of others and her cane, and now here she was walking down the street after a moment of shopping for groceries.
He squinted at the sun in his eye, and put on the shades that he pulled out of his jacket pocket.
Anna tip tapped along until she disappeared from view.
Everyone loved Anna, none had a bad word to speak against her. Was it because of her 'less than norm' situation, Adrian wasn't sure.
Anna and Adrian were friends, knowing each other from way back when. Anna had always been the one to make him laugh and forget about his troubles. When Anna had lost her sight in a car accident, Adrian had been there for her. Even after Anna had taken a bad fall at the local grocery store, he had helped her up, and called for an ambulance to take her to the hospital to assess the situation.
But lately, there had been something going on with Anna. Adrian noticed that there was a change in her. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was a definite notable change.
The little worm niggling at Adrian's brain had began ever since a mutual friend Matt had visited Anna to say hello. Matt had broken his arm in a football game, and his right hand was bandaged up, set up for recuperation. Visitors that were with Anna at the time had extended their right hand, as was the norm, to shake when meeting and greeting. Adrian noticed though, that when Matt extended his left hand to shake since his right arm was bandaged and out of action, everyone responded appropriately.
Everyone including Anna.
Back at home, Adrian couldn't shake off the feeling. There was just something. He sat at the table and opened the daily paper.
The headlines told of the rise in those receiving disability benefits. The paper reported that there were more than less of those 'less capable', ready to receive as much as they could get from government hand outs through fraudulent measures. He was aware that many that received the benefits would rather keep on receiving it even if granted an opportunity to be free from it.
The next day Adrian was out and about at the local market, and he saw a familiar figure. She had on the same glasses and she held the same cane.
It was Anna.
Adrian was surprised when one market seller asked Anna what she wanted, and Anna quickly pointed to the best oranges, bananas, and mangoes. Adrian continued to muse. He thought back to his encounters with Anna and tried to piece things together. Finally it clicked.
Adrian invited Anna out with him one day for a light lunch. As Anna waited for him, Adrian hid and watched her waiting in a nearby park. Painters nearby were redecorating, signs of wet paint were appropriately situated all around to avoid any mishaps.
Adrian walked up to Anna and shook her hand. He moved her over to the wet paint area where there was a freshly painted bench with a visible sign that said 'Wet Paint'. Adrian made a move to sit down, and as he pulled Anna with him, she jumped up and cried:
'No! The sign says 'Wet paint!!''.
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''How did you know?'' Anna asked Adrian. ''How did you know I wasn't really blind?''
''It was the night Matt walked in with a broken right arm.'' Adrian replied. ''We all extended our left hand. Naturally, it would have been a right hand extension shake, but it niggled me that you also extended your left hand, when there was no possible way for you to know that his right arm was not in use.''
Anna smiled at Adrian.
''Not only that'' he continued, ''but how could you possibly know which the best oranges and mangoes were without having seeing them?''
Anna took of her glasses, her eyes looked directly at him.
''Don't forget the fall at the grocery store'' She smiled. ''That was a God send. I was blind at one point, but heavy falls can be known to trigger the onset of gaining back lost sight. As 'one in a million chance' that may be to ever happen, it happened to me. I decided to make the best of my situation.''
''No more benefits for you then.'' Adrian was grim. ''You claimed thousands that you were not entitled to Anna''.
''You should become a Detective.'' Anna smirked. ''You're good,'' she smiled as she was lead away.
''You're very good.''
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Fraud - don't do it!
