i was read a description of someone (they were describing them selves) as being shaped like a barrel on piano legs-- the auther has slipped away-- but the vivid description lives on in my memory--

it was in an autobiography -- a man who went blind in his early teens-- and went on to a successful career as college professor-- and writer.. i read it my teens-- (circa mid 60's) any one remember it? He went to school in NYC (a school for the blind in the bronx) it was interesting because I knew the man by sight--he often took the local subway-- and i had often seen him. then suddenly-- here he was a famous author!