Thank you to Indigo Spider for her inspiring picture prompts for Sunday Picture Press III. I have attempted another story. This time I kept it under 500 words and it almost killed me! 🙂
Visual Prompt 2 — Title Unknown, Vivian Maier
The Leaving
I am being quiet in the car. In my short almost five years I have never been on a trip this long before. I wish I could ask them where the three of us are going. We left very early this morning and now it is almost lunch time. We still aren’t there.
The book from Mum is keeping me busy. I keep looking at the pictures but don’t really know what most things are named. I have seen plenty of them on my farm. I love them all, especially love taking my hand and rubbing their hair. It feels rough. I don’t care because they love me. I love it when they rub against me, lick me with their giant tongues. I always giggle.
I wonder why my brothers and sisters aren’t here today. They never go anywhere without me except to that place they walk to every day, wherever that is. They leave early in the morning and come back in the afternoon. They don’t go there in the summer, though, probably because they want to play outside more. Maybe soon they will take me with them, then I will know what they do. Sometimes they bring papers home, and books. Even when they show me things, point out different pictures it doesn’t make sense to me.
Mum is wiping her eyes so much today. She must have a cold. Dad is very quiet. Usually he is laughing. Are all long trips like this?
After what seems like forever we are finally here. We pull into a place with green grass and many building. What is this place? It has large trees just like home. But where are my favorite things? I look around. No big tongues here, no prickly hay to jump off.
Two strangers come to the car. They have friendly faces and one nice woman bends down and smiles at me. She waves and moves her hands a lot. It scares me. I move closer to Mum. Mum bends down, and, still wiping her eyes, hugs me. She puts my hand into the nice woman’s hand. I pull away. Mum smiles and takes my hand as we walk into the building.
We all sit down at a table and eat. Mum and Dad are talking with so many people. They come up and shake hands and then look at me and smile. I don’t like this at all.
Soon Dad gets large suitcases from the car and puts them in the hall. He and Mum kiss me and start to go. I scream and cry. Mum is crying, too. They walk faster to the car. They leave me.
Someone I don’t know grabs my hand. I jerk away. She waves her hands at me again. I scream louder.
In their side mirrors, Mum and Dad see me throw myself on the ground in tears. They are both sobbing as they drive past the exit sign that says “Residential School for the Deaf’.
Wow. That’s amazing. I totally didn’t see the last little bit coming, even though I thought she would be dropped off there. How sad!
Thanks for commenting, Jinx. Yes, sometimes things happen in life that are necessary but still hurtful. This has happened to many Deaf folks down through the years. Parents can’t communicate with them and want them to learn how. Still hard, though!
Aww Char. Sadness, but the gift of communication lies ahead of her. She’ll learn to sign and her family will too, because they love her. Really good connection to the picture prompt.
I thought the picture was perfect for this story when I saw it. Those big tears! I know of many Deaf folks who went to a residential school because there was nothing closer for them that had communication.
Many families never learn to sign and have only superficial communicaton with their children. They love them but there isn’t that depth that families need. Often, the children bond with those at the ‘Deaf school’ and feel they are their family.
Several of my friends told me they never knew they had a name until they went away to school. Can you imagine what sponges they become!
Exactly. I didn’t cry or feel sad, I felt she was about to start a new life of awareness. She’s sad now, but in a few weeks she’ll find her own family.
Geez, I am crying, too!
It is sad, isn’t it, Sandy. And I couldn’t really end it any other way because that is how it has been for a hundred years unless they live near the residential school. Then they can ride the bus and go home at night. Some families move closer to the schools but it isn’t always possible.
Things are changing now, though, with state budget cuts, etc., they have closed quite a few residential schools in the country and Deaf folks are so upset. The schools are part of their culture, their communication and their history. Time will tell how things work out.
In the meantime, I am glad you were touched by the story!
My stomach was in knots worried they were going to leave her behind. I suppose it is good, that she learn to communicate with the outside world, but it just seems so sad to leave her without her understanding. I hope they come back to pick her up. Oh, right, it is a story! Well done and perfect for the picture prompt!
Communicaton is so important. Sometimes we forget how “spoiled” we are and how much incidental learning there is out there that Deaf children most often don’t get. Imagine just one thing…being on a bus and hearing 3 separate conversations. We might learn there was an earthquake in another country, someone’s mom got in a fight with their father (oh, it happens in other families, too??), and there is a holiday coming up in 3 days (reminder). Hearing kids absorb all of that incidentally. Deaf kids don’t.
Residential schools open up the outside world to many of them. There is pain with it, though, but there are also wonderful results. A complicated issue with differing opinions!
I’m glad the story touched you! Thanks, Marita.
[…] The Leaving by My Words Whisper […]
Wow. Really good story. I was hooked all the way to the end, in fact I thought they were abandoning their daughter somewhere or selling her! Loved the build up and the final line was excellent.
Glad you were hooked all the way to the end. I tried to keep it as ambiguous as I possibly could so I appreciate your comments.
These kinds of stories happened over and over again for a long long time. Lives sometimes can’t be changed easily. Mom and Dad can’t just pick up and move and their love for their children sometimes dictates sadness now for a better life later. But then, others would beg to differ. It is a mixed can of worms, for sure!
Please visit again!
A scary ride! ….the ‘unknown’ always leaves one a tingle, given a childs imagination and curiosity, the unknown can be ‘horror’ or nothing at all. Just had to ride it through to end to get the whole story.
Strangest thing , when I first looked at the picture I thought of my Uncle Ernie (my father’s brother). My Dad has four pictures of my him. The one that always catches my attention, is the one where he is about six years old, crying his eyes out while having his hand held by my Grandmother. The strange thing is, Ernie was deaf at birth and did attend a residential school for the Deaf for 5 years -from eight years of age till he was thirteen. His entire life was not a pleasant one. Though he did find some contentment in the last 10 years of his life.
Interesting you had a Deaf uncle. So, your family, especially your grandparents, may have had some feelings similar to these parents. Sorry that your uncle didn’t have a pleasant life. Some people have a hard time dealing with things that are thrown at them through no fault of their own. It has happened to some that I know, too.
One of the down sides to residential schools is that many of those children endured abuse without it coming to light for decades. Vulnerable population…. Nothing is ever black and white and how to get the best for your child who has circumstances different from others can be a daunting decision that leaves the parents always wondering.
It was great hearing from you, Hudson! Thanks for the comment.
WOW. NOTHING ELSE COVERS THIS, JUST THAT ONE WORD. AND LET ME TELL YOU, TRYING TO TYPE WITH TEARS BLURRING THE SCREEN IS NOT EASY. YOU HAD ME HOOKED FROM THE FIRST WORD AND BY THE TIME I REACHED THE END MY HEART WAS ALREADY BREAKING FOR THE PAIN THAT WAS IN EVERY WORD. YOU MADE THE LITTLE GIRL’S CONFUSION AND PAIN SO REAL.
I ENVY YOU, FOR YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE GIFT OF CAPTURING PURE EMOTION IN A SERIES OF TINY MARKS AND CAUSING THE VIEWER OF THOSE MARKS TO FEEL THAT EMOTION THEMSELVES. CHERISH THAT GIFT AND NEVER, EVER LET IT GO.
MARANTHA
I am glad you were able to read the story, Mar. I appreciate your comments. It can be sad but at the same time the results can be so liberating. LIfe is never easy but some circumstances are harder than others.
The up side to this kind of story is the bonds that Deaf kids enjoy with each other all through school. They are more like brothers and sisters to each other than schoolmates.
Thank you!
Dear, Sweet My Words Whisper, I would like to present you with something in honor of this wonderful story. Click on this link and then save the image to your computer to post on your blog.
I just created this especially for you. I have been trying to come up with an award design for those stories that reach out and touch our hearts in a special way, but had thusfar not been able to accomplish that goal…
Until I read this story.
So I will always associate you with this little award each time I use it to share with others who touch my heart, for it will always, in my heart, be yours.
Good job, sweet bardess, you did very well with this.
marantha
Great story, and very well told. Heartbreaking, though. I was expecting an adoption; but this family will be together again one day.
It did kind of seem like a possible adoption, didn’t it! Heartbreaking at that time for all of them but what an eye opening experience she will have. She will learn that she has a name, that the kids living in her home are called ‘brother and ‘sister’ and they, too, have names. That will be just the beginning for her. She will eventually be able to tell someone how she feels – I love you, I hate you, I need you, i don’t want to. All the things we need to be able to say in our ride through life.
Thanks, Patti, for visiting and commenting.
I am completely crying.
I thought they were giving the kid up for adoption. its so devestating.
Very hard for a little one, but communication opens a new world, too! Thanks for reading!