Southpaw

Articles

Patricia Jacobs

Southpaw
Mar 18, 2003

Throughout some of society's institutions, (school, the home, and business) there is still a great deal of unawareness or neglect to accommodate and consider the needs of the left- handed.

Dorma Sampson, owner of "Heavenly Walls And All" is actively working to change this. "Walls" is an art boutique that specializes in left-handed items. However, there's more involved than just the items, for under Mrs.Sampson's guidance and committment, the shop becomes a learning experience for BOTH left and right-handers. A comprehensive tour is given, in addition to one- on-one testing to determine the degree of left- handedness a person has. Right-handers are also included to make them aware to the fact that lefties really NEED and deserve to have easy access to these items.

"This started out of my own frustrations, for I was appalled by the attitudes of some people" Mrs. Sampson says. "I'm not in this for material gain at all. I would like my contributions, via this shop, to make a lasting impact." "Walls" first opened its doors in 1980 in the Morton Grove area. The shop's current home has been on 100 N.3rd Street in St. Charles, Ill. (It's an hour ride from Chicago by the Metro trains. Once arriving downtown, head to Northwestern station on Canal Street. From here, you'll be going to Geneva, Ill. There are plenty of personnel and schedules to assist you. From the Geneva station, it's a five minute ride to St. Charles).

The wide array of items carried include kitchen utensils, writing supplies, playing cards, printed T-shirts, mugs, and penmanship manuals that's designed and intended to give lefties full control of their dominant hand. It is perhaps in the area of kitchen and writing and related supplies that the shop has its greatest impact, for according to Mrs. Sampson: "Did you know that the kitchen can be very treacherous to us?

As a result of mishaps and accidents from using right-handed equipment, guests, family, and a lot of lefties themselves simply conclude it's due to clumsiness. (An informal survey of "Walls" reveals that 60% of lefty men don't carve, and 95% cannot do eggs-over-easy because of the right-handed spatula). And that's not always so." Right-handed tools causes one to use the wrong leverage and pressure. Counterclockwise equipment would enable lefties to achieve the proper equilibrium needed.

Mrs. Sampson suggests that parents carry left- handed knives for their children when dining out to develop their equilibrium early. Many knives won't cut well because they're used mostly by right-handers at home and in restaurants. She'd also like every restaurant and social function to provide the double-pour sprout ladle, and begin to make universal tools such as this readily available.

There's a steady demand for the educational tools and supplies "Walls" carries. The number-one seller for the past seven years has been the spiral notebooks. (They have right-handed spirals.) Rulers are marked from right-to-left and notepads open from the "wrong" end. Playing cards have the symbols in all FOUR corners, and there are scissors for every age level and need. ("These are the most important thing to start your youngster on".) The mugs and T-shirts provide a psychological and comical lift. However, the sayings on the mugs are arranged so all lefties can read them without turning the entire cup around.

While large drafting and dentistry companies has full access to left-handed equipment, schools and colleges have yet to fully make this accommodation into their budget.

In spite of the inconveniences lefties have dealing in a mostly right-handed world, there are a few things that lefties do BETTER that righties:

1. BOWL-The spin that makes the ball curve into the strike pocket is counterclockwise and uncomfortable to a rightie. But to a lefty, it's clockwise and familiar. Lefties have been conditioned to it from turning doorknobs, screws, etc.

2. PLAY PIANO-When learning piano, you're taught the treble staff (right hand keys) first, then the bass (left hand keys) in relation to it. A lefty plays the bass more strongly and easily, making for a more balanced performance. (Cole Porter and Errol Gardner were lefties.)

3. TYPE-Most of the major keys are on the left side of the typewriter.

4. PLAY BASEBALL-Lefties excel at this. The batter's nearer first base, the first baseman covers the field better and the pitcher keeps an eye on first batter.

5. PLAY PING-PONG-A right-handed opponent of a lefty is faced with an unfamiliar spin and hop on the ball. Also, a ball that's met by a righty's weak backhand becomes a strong lefty forehand. Look out!

Swimming also favors the lefty. Neurologists have shown they adjust more easily to underwater vision. Just ask Mark Spitz!

Southpaws make fantastic tennis players. It's been estimated that at any given time, about 40% of the top pros are lefties, like Jimmy Conners and Martina Navratilova, among others. One of every four Apollo astronauts were left- handed. There's a high number of engineers and drafters, for lefties have tremendous math ability. (They do?) Mrs. Sampson has firsthand knowledge of this.

"I have encouraged two or three computer companies to hire lefties. They tell me they're definitely superior. Lefties also use both sides of the brain much more than right-handers. (This could be due to having to adjust and adapt to right-handed society.) As a result, a lefty's able to cope with a loss of limb or stroke better. They can more readily adjust to switching to their right side."

70% of the creative arts are dominated by lefties, such as Carol Burnett, George Burns, Sid Caesar, Charlie Chaplin, Natalie Wood, Nicole Kidman, Richard Dreyfuss, Bob Dylan, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, Tom Cruise, Michael Landon, Paul McCartney, Michelangelo, Richard Pryor, Ronald Reagan, Robert Redford, Ringo Starr, H.G.Wells, Glen Campbell, Robert De Niro, and Shirley MacLaine, among others.

On the infamous side, there's Jack the Ripper, The Boston Strangler, John Dillinger, and Tiny Tim. (Well, we can't all be perfect.) There's a special day for southpaws; it occurs on August 13th and is called Lefthanders International Day. Dorma Sampson has a particular wish for this occasion. "My dream is to have a banquet with all utensils and settings designed for lefties. And all lefties at the table!" "In conclusion, I want to say that we're considered very stubborn, and that's not accurate. Lefties are DETERMINED, for we still have to struggle to make it in right-handed society."

Email Patricia Jacobs: Patj25@yahoo.com

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