Man Is Denied Entry At Restaurant After Worker Accuses Him Of Faking Blindness
A man has shared that he was denied entry with his guide dog at a Seattle restaurant because a staff member didn’t believe he was blind.
Paul Castle, who describes himself as an “author, artist, and advocate,” recounted the incident on Tuesday (May 7) on his TikTok platform.
“I walked in with my guide dog, Mr. Maple, and immediately somebody rushed up to me and said, ‘No pets allowed, only service dogs,'” he recalled.
- A man and his guide dog were denied entry at a Seattle restaurant after a staff member said he didn't "look" blind.
- Paul Castle, blind from Retinitis Pigmentosa, tried explaining his condition but was still refused service.
- The restaurant eventually offered a "sincere" apology to Paul and gave him a gift card.
Paul explained to the server that his dog wasn’t a pet. “‘It’s OK, he’s a service dog.’ He looked at me, he looked at Maple, and said, ‘Emotional support dog?’ ‘No, like a guide dog for the blind.'”
A man shared that he and his guide dog were kicked out of a restaurant when a staff member didn’t believe he was blind
Image credits: matthewandpaul
“I literally had this harness attached to him,” the artist continued, referring to the words “Guide Dogs for the Blind” on the animal’s harness. “I showed this to him; I said, ‘I’m blind.'”
But the worker thought he was making it all up. “He said, ‘You don’t look blind,’ and I said, ‘A lot of people in the blind community still have some functional vision.'”
“He said, ‘You’re looking right at me.’ I said, ‘Yes, but it’s like I have a pinhole of vision — that’s all I can see.'”
Paul Castle, an author, artist, and advocate from Seattle, has lost 90% of his vision to Retinitis Pigmentosa, a genetic and untreatable eye disease
Image credits: matthewandpaul
In a separate video, Paul shared that he has retinitis pigmentosa (RP), an untreatable eye disease that “makes cells in the retina break down slowly over time, causing vision loss,” as per the National Eye Institute (NEI).
Retinitis pigmentosa causes loss of side (peripheral) vision. Over time, the field of vision of people with RP narrows until they only have some central vision (also called tunnel vision).
Paul can see a small tunnel of vision, surrounded by “moving light, popping random colors, almost like fireworks.”
Though he tried to explain this to the restaurant employee, he still wasn’t allowed inside.
Firm in his belief that Paul was lying about his blindness, the worker stopped him again, saying, “Listen, this isn’t my first rodeo.”
“He said, ‘You don’t look blind,’ and I said, ‘A lot of people in the blind community still have some functional vision,'” Paul recalled
Image credits: paulcastlestudio
“What is going on out there that would lead this man to believe that I was lying?” Paul asked in his video, which has received over 1.5 million likes and numerous supportive comments.
The Washington State Human Rights Commission states that “service animals must be allowed into all areas of a place of public accommodation where the general public is allowed,” including “dining and eating areas, restrooms, and areas where food is sold.”
In an attempt to prove his point, the worker asked the young advocate if she saw other dogs in the restaurant.
“I said, ‘Honestly, no. I’m blind. There could be.'”
The Seattle resident says the restaurant worker threatened to call the police if he entered the establishment
Image credits: paulcastlestudio
When the Seattle resident offered to return to the establishment with Mr. Maple’s paperwork, he says he was threatened by the restaurant staffer: “If you step foot back in this restaurant with that dog, I will call the police.”
“I’m speechless,” Paul concluded his video.
Paul did not disclose the name of the restaurant where the incident took place.
In a subsequent post, the artist explained that he came back to the restaurant to meet with the manager. He told him that he wasn’t planning on pressing charges against the employee, and he didn’t want him to lose his job.
“I just want people to understand the spectrum of blindness and the importance of service animals,” he explained.
“What is going on out there that would lead this man to believe that I was lying?”
@matthewandpaul “This isn’t my first rodeo” 💀 #blind #guidedog #servicedog #storytime ♬ original sound – Matthew and Paul
Paul told his viewers that since posting his video, he has received a “sincere apology” from the restaurant
@matthewandpaul Replying to @Milk Minute Podcast thanks for having my back!! #blind #storytime #guidedog #servicedog ♬ original sound – Matthew and Paul
“The reason he didn’t believe me is because I told him I was blind but I was able to sustain eye contact with him.
“I think most people want things to be black or white. If you have a disability, they want it to be the version that they’ve seen represented in movies and TV for many years, whereas 93% of people who are blind have some functional vision.”
Paul added that it’s “common” for people to assume he’s not blind and accuse him of being a liar.
Furthermore, Paul told his viewers that since posting his video, he has received a “sincere apology” from the restaurant employee and a “very generous” gift card as compensation.
“I don’t want anything bad to happen to this establishment. I just want them to learn from the whole experience.”
“The employee had no right to question,” a social media user commented
I hate to admit that if I don't SEE a disability, I have my doubts. BUT....and this is a big but.......I don't say anything to that person. I know perfectly well that not all disabilities are visible and this is a problem that I have with myself that I am working on every day.
Jessica, It's OK to have your doubts as long as you err on the side of grace and treat them as if they are telling the truth, because they probably are.
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As much as I'd also like to yell "lawsuit", because, well, frankly...this whole shitshow, I can understand exactly why that wasn't the route he wanted to take. It helps no one. I too am legally blind, I have been my whole life. NO ONE ever actually believes you when you say this, even doctors. Even when the vision I do have is good enough for me to kinda make eye contact (with the eye I can control anyway, lol) that does not mean, in any way, shape, or form, that I can actually see you. My hearing is pretty spot on. I know where your sounds are coming from. I can direct my functional eye in your general area, it's NOT all that difficult to do, for me. It will be different for others. Sometimes, especially when I was younger, I wish I was fully blind because that gets way less judgment and questions, people are weird. Blindness varies folks, it's a crazy mess of chaos that is almost never the same for any two people.
"I'm blind enough that I can't tell if you look stupid, but hearing you speak is all the proof I need!"
I find this purely just, I don't even know. Just wow. I follow them as well and they are just the sweetest, and should not have been treated this way
I'm in love with Mr Maple, that is the best name for a dog I've heard in a while, and he looks like the perfect gentleman.
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This is the 1st time where ive seen the video before bp posted it. I LOVE him and his husband- amd their guide dog mr maple :) His husband, mathew, loves to play silly small harmless pranks on him. And paul finds it really fun too it seems they're such amazing people
I am legally blind and have been since birth. The state in which I live requires doctors to report patients who qualify as blind to the government, which I think is to prevent us from getting a driver's license by memorizing the eye chart. Regardless, we get a blind ID in lieu of a license so I can always show that when I get questions about my blindness. It doesn't happen frequently, but it does happen.
This guy could pretty much sue that restaurant out of business. He is to kind for his own good. The waiter that dealt with him was way under trained for his job. You aren't allowed to ask for paperwork nor escort them out. If a animal is unruly it is allowed to evict that animal and person.
You can evict the animal, but not the person. The person will likely choose not to come back.
Load More Replies...
When I was learning sign language (thinking about becoming an interpreter) I worked with some folks with Retinitis Pigmentosa I found that many also become deaf. In order to speak with someone who has RP they place their hand on your while you sign. With my experience, I assumed that deafness was a part of RP. A little duck,duck,go research lead me to Usher syndrome which has RP and deafness as symptoms. My attention span is not long enough for me to dig into RP on its own vs. RP as a symptom of Usher syndrome - both are genetic
I've known a couple people who were legally blind ... but could still see. In fact, both of them could drive if they had glasses. One guy had REALLY amazingly thick glasses, which 35 years ago, were made of actual glass, so they were HEAVY. The other was a woman I used to work with who told me that she saw everything upside down. I have no idea how she could walk, much less drive, except she'd been that way from birth and was used to it.
I live in the USA and legal blindness here means a best-corrected-vision of 20/200 or worse while a driver's license requires 20/70 vision or better.
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He's too nice. That employee should absolutely lose his job! What a jackass.
It's lovely that this guy was forgiving. However, he should sue this restaurant into the ground!
The restaurant needs to be named. I would not want to give that place a dime of my money. And the employee needs to be terminated. There are consequences for actions.
I'm sure that the manager breathed a large sigh of relief--right before he ripped that ableist employee a new ànus. I hope that employee is on probation for six months; that should be enough time to get educated about disabilities, and what NOT to do.
It's not his job to teach people, especially when he's just out trying to live his life . What are you on about. Google is free if people want to learn.
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Or maybe that's a little too Nazi Germany for people and they don't want to be called out for having a disability.
Load More Replies... I hate to admit that if I don't SEE a disability, I have my doubts. BUT....and this is a big but.......I don't say anything to that person. I know perfectly well that not all disabilities are visible and this is a problem that I have with myself that I am working on every day.
Jessica, It's OK to have your doubts as long as you err on the side of grace and treat them as if they are telling the truth, because they probably are.
Load More Replies... As much as I'd also like to yell "lawsuit", because, well, frankly...this whole shitshow, I can understand exactly why that wasn't the route he wanted to take. It helps no one. I too am legally blind, I have been my whole life. NO ONE ever actually believes you when you say this, even doctors. Even when the vision I do have is good enough for me to kinda make eye contact (with the eye I can control anyway, lol) that does not mean, in any way, shape, or form, that I can actually see you. My hearing is pretty spot on. I know where your sounds are coming from. I can direct my functional eye in your general area, it's NOT all that difficult to do, for me. It will be different for others. Sometimes, especially when I was younger, I wish I was fully blind because that gets way less judgment and questions, people are weird. Blindness varies folks, it's a crazy mess of chaos that is almost never the same for any two people.
"I'm blind enough that I can't tell if you look stupid, but hearing you speak is all the proof I need!"
I find this purely just, I don't even know. Just wow. I follow them as well and they are just the sweetest, and should not have been treated this way
I'm in love with Mr Maple, that is the best name for a dog I've heard in a while, and he looks like the perfect gentleman.
Load More Replies... This is the 1st time where ive seen the video before bp posted it. I LOVE him and his husband- amd their guide dog mr maple :) His husband, mathew, loves to play silly small harmless pranks on him. And paul finds it really fun too it seems they're such amazing people
I am legally blind and have been since birth. The state in which I live requires doctors to report patients who qualify as blind to the government, which I think is to prevent us from getting a driver's license by memorizing the eye chart. Regardless, we get a blind ID in lieu of a license so I can always show that when I get questions about my blindness. It doesn't happen frequently, but it does happen.
This guy could pretty much sue that restaurant out of business. He is to kind for his own good. The waiter that dealt with him was way under trained for his job. You aren't allowed to ask for paperwork nor escort them out. If a animal is unruly it is allowed to evict that animal and person.
You can evict the animal, but not the person. The person will likely choose not to come back.
Load More Replies... When I was learning sign language (thinking about becoming an interpreter) I worked with some folks with Retinitis Pigmentosa I found that many also become deaf. In order to speak with someone who has RP they place their hand on your while you sign. With my experience, I assumed that deafness was a part of RP. A little duck,duck,go research lead me to Usher syndrome which has RP and deafness as symptoms. My attention span is not long enough for me to dig into RP on its own vs. RP as a symptom of Usher syndrome - both are genetic
I've known a couple people who were legally blind ... but could still see. In fact, both of them could drive if they had glasses. One guy had REALLY amazingly thick glasses, which 35 years ago, were made of actual glass, so they were HEAVY. The other was a woman I used to work with who told me that she saw everything upside down. I have no idea how she could walk, much less drive, except she'd been that way from birth and was used to it.
I live in the USA and legal blindness here means a best-corrected-vision of 20/200 or worse while a driver's license requires 20/70 vision or better.
Load More Replies... He's too nice. That employee should absolutely lose his job! What a jackass.
It's lovely that this guy was forgiving. However, he should sue this restaurant into the ground!
The restaurant needs to be named. I would not want to give that place a dime of my money. And the employee needs to be terminated. There are consequences for actions.
I'm sure that the manager breathed a large sigh of relief--right before he ripped that ableist employee a new ànus. I hope that employee is on probation for six months; that should be enough time to get educated about disabilities, and what NOT to do.
It's not his job to teach people, especially when he's just out trying to live his life . What are you on about. Google is free if people want to learn.
Load More Replies... Or maybe that's a little too Nazi Germany for people and they don't want to be called out for having a disability.
Load More Replies...
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