Awkward Encounter #2

My parents and my sister have always been there for me through countless doctors appointments, surgeries and everyday struggles. It’s safe to say that they know how to deal with my particular circumstances. However, just because they understand me and my disability and abilities; doesn’t exactly mean everyone in my family does.

 One night (I was nine at the time) my family and I had gone out to dinner with my aunt. We'll call her Becky. We had just gotten back to her house and sitting around the kitchen table; my sister and I were patiently listening as the adults made conversation. It's safe to say that at nine-years-old, I was only going to be truly interested in the conversation if my name was brought up. Eventually, it was.

"So Noah, how are you liking school?,” my aunt asked.

"It's okay", I replied. Side note: There's never a more boring conversation to a nine-year-old then talking about how they're doing in school.

"What's your favorite class?”

"Reading and spelling," I said. I've always been a proficient speller and since I've always liked to read and been a relatively strong reader, it was the part of my day that made getting up for school a little bit easier.

As soon as I answered her, she got up from her seat, said she'd be right back, and walked out of the room. None of us knew why she had gotten up but it didn’t matter. We carried on talking amongst ourselves. A couple of minutes later she returned. She had something in her hand. It was rectangular and on a lanyard.

I looked at it. It was a nametag, her work nametag.

"Can you read what this says Noah?,” she asked.

I was taken aback and somewhat amused. 

Usually, you don't ask a nine-year-old whether they can read something as simple as a nametag especially, when they just told you that their favorite subjects in school are reading and spelling.

Disclaimer: It had been awhile since we'd seen my aunt. However, she'd sent me a birthday card each year. She knew how old I was.

My first instinct was to have a snarky reply. Instead I said--while throwing her some shade:

"Yeah, it says Becky."

"Very good.," she responded in an almost too cutesy voice.

Now you might be saying to yourself--"Noah, a lot of nine-year-olds struggle with reading. Why does this exchange seem unusual to you?"

You’d probably be right. However, I hadn’t given her any reason to believe I had trouble reading.

If you guessed “Is it because you’re disabled?,” that would be accurate.

You see, at the time, my aunt didn’t exactly understand my disability. She knew that I’d undergone several surgeries throughout the years but that’s pretty much where her understanding ended.

It’s not her fault, really. She doesn’t live that close to us so we don't see her often. Of course, she’d make the mistake of equating my physical disability with a learning disorder because she doesn’t know that I lead a perfectly normal, day-to-day life. 

It still didn't stop the moment from being awkward and hilarious.

The minute I responded she knew she’d made a mistake.

“Oh”…. oh dear, my mistake, of course you can read.”

“Uh yeah, I can,” I responded.

Note: The entire time this exchange was occurring my parents kept their mouths shut and that’s a good thing. If they had said something, the next few minutes would’ve gone very differently.

“I’m so sorry, I don’t know why I thought you wouldn’t be able to read my nametag.” She knew.

“I-it’s alright.” At this point, I was ready to leave. I’m sure she was ready for us to go too.

After a few minutes of conversation, the type that you make to desperately change the subject and which seems to just linger, we said our goodbyes and left.

 As we got into the car, my dad was the first to speak:

“Well, um, that was a nice visit.”

“Yeah, tons of fun,” my sister responded.

“Yeah,” I said. I didn’t have much to say because I knew who would.

My mom was the last to get into the car. The moment her passenger side door closed and my dad pulled out of the driveway, the rant began:

“WHAT WAS SHE THINKING? “Noah, can you read this?,” She said in an imitative voice. “Maybe if she actually got to…

“Cari,” my dad cut her off. “She wasn’t thinking, you know that”.

“You don’t have to tell me. “That fu--”

“Mom, it’s okay. It was funny.,” I replied.

“Yeah Mom, to be honest Noah is kind’ve an idiot," my sister said.

My dad shot her an “if looks could kill stare.” My mom, not paying attention to what was going on, continued:

“But to have the AUDACITY to ask that. His legs don’t work we didn’t throw him HEAD- FIRST down the STAIRS!”

“Well, there was that one time, that Dad--.,” I said half-joking.

“Oh geez, not that again.” My dad said while chuckling. We headed home my mom continuing to rant the whole way. 

That’s all for this week and in fact for the next two weeks! Remember if you like what you’ve read, leave a comment! Talk to you soon.