Born at the Right Time by Ron McCallum

Author:Ron McCallum
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Published: 2019-06-03T16:00:00+00:00

10

Marriage

Equality has been one of my hallmark attitudes: equality between women and men, and between persons with disabilities and all other people. Therefore, I didn’t want a wife who would just look after me and on occasion be my research assistant.

During our engagement, it became clear to me that Mary was a gifted lawyer who would make a truly superb legal academic. She already had the beginnings of a fine career. One year out from graduating, she had a full-length article published in the University of Melbourne Law Review that had quickly made its way into a major constitutional law casebook. She was enrolled in a Master of Laws degree at the University of Melbourne on the general topic of migration law. I formed the view that she would not be happy simply staying home and washing underwear. It was important to us both to establish independent vocations.

Having said this, Mary did lack a little confidence. Given she was only twenty-six, that was perhaps understandable, but nonetheless surprising in my eyes. One thing I could do for Mary was to always be there to support her. I suggested she consider building an academic career teaching law, which would involve converting her master’s degree into a doctorate, in other words a PhD degree. When major changes were made to the system for regulating immigration into Australia in 1989, this ‘upgrade’ made a lot of sense. Mary’s doctoral work actually placed her to become one of Australia’s real experts in migration and refugee law—then rather new areas of law.

At the time of our engagement and marriage, tape recordings still served as my library and there was always a need for me to find readers. While Mary often helped me, I knew that it would stretch our relationship if I made huge demands on her time by asking her to read aloud a great deal of material.

I believe I came across my first Apple computer, which was known as a home computer, in about 1984, not long before I met Mary. However, I merely noted its glass screen and thought that these types of computers weren’t going to be much good for blind people like me. Of course, I was so very, very wrong.

Back then, there was no way I could foresee marvels such as the application of synthetic speech to computer programs. Nor did either Mary or I imagine that within six or seven years, my methods of working would be completely different, owing to the advances in computer-based adaptive technology. However, we did recognise that improvements in technology that would enhance my independence were likely to occur.

Immediately after Christmas 1985, Mary and I travelled down to her parents’ holiday house on Phillip Island for a few days. I was still adjusting to becoming part of a big family; after all, I was much older than most budding sons-in-law. However, Gerard and Jacq were very accommodating. I just needed a little time to become acquainted with everyone and to be my true self within the bosom of the family circle.

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