"Man from the South"

   The "Man from the South" story is about a South American man making a bet with a U.S. naval cadet. The narrator, and "referee" for this bet, is a local Jamaican where the story takes place. The South American man bet his Cadillac that the cadet could not light his lighter 10 times in a row. If the sailor lost this bet, he would lose his left pinky finger, which was fine with him, because he insisted that he never really used it anyway. However, we usually don't realize what we have until it's gone. It wasn't until flick number eight that the woman of the South American man barged through the door to stop the bet. Surprisingly, she only had two fingers on one of her hands due to betting the man. When I think about losing a finger(s), I immediately relate it to occupational therapy because of the loss of function.
   If the cadet lost his bet, he would lose the ability to perform many important daily tasks. As a naval sailor, he is responsible for successfully performing tasks related to his job, including accurately shooting a firearm, steering, swimming, typing, etc. These tasks require extensive manipulation of the fingers, as well as grip strength. In order to regain the ability to perform these tasks, firmly gripping a firearm in particular,  he would need to practice strengthening exercises to improve grip and dexterity. In addition, he would need to make sure that his right hand is strong and can compensate for the loss on his left hand. For example, tightly gripping a firearm is crucial for shooting accurately, so a strong right handed grip can help compensate for the lack of strength in his left hand. Inability to accurately shoot a firearm could result in a dismissal from the U.S. Navy.
   The woman of the South American man must also have issues performing daily occupations due to only having two fingers on one hand. Some of these occupations may include ADLs, such as self care, driving, cooking, carrying shopping bags, and holding a glass of any type. Thankfully her other hand can help compensate, but to help her regain independence, she could use hand controls when driving her Cadillac. Additionally, in the story, she had just returned from getting her hair washed (self care), so another way for her to become more independent is by investing in some type of automatic dispenser for her shampoo and conditioner, which eliminates the need to squeeze bottles.