Even after bad luck took Mike’s sight, he still enjoys an adventure. In one of them, he helped with a ski race, where skiers were blind. He likes to say, “You might think skiing without sight is tough, but we had the hard part, since we told them where to turn.” Then, he laughs and adds, “That meant standing on a ski slope with blind racers headed right for us.” His adventures and jokes help all people work through challenges, not just blind folks.

The book is based on real events in Minnesota and begins when Mike attends a school for blind adults. A simple lesson is cooking without sight. A challenging lesson is about finding work. Mike learns that adults with low vision have a low chance of returning to work, which becomes his biggest hope. He wants to find a job again, so he can own a house again. Other students are encouraging and discouraging. Some students cry a lot. Others laugh a lot, and a few compete in downhill ski racing.

During the race, the speed of the blind skiers amazes Mike. A racer who pushes her limits more than most is a teacher at the school, who also pushes some limits when she flirts with Mike. The characters in this novel are blind Minnesotans, but the message is how anyone can work through bad luck. For many, it can take a home or a job. For Mike, it took his sight. This story shows how he worked through bad luck and blindness, and laughed a lot along the way.