Times With My Tribe
2 Early Birds, Breakfast, High-5, The $1 Bill
2 Early Birds
My scheduled pick-up time was at 9:00am, but I quickly learnt that I was really dealing with 2 Early Birds who were routinely waiting outside my front door by 8:30am.
The first time, I was a bit unprepared for the earlier pick-up, and ended up taking my breakfast and hot tea with me.
The second time, I was better prepared for the 2 Early Birds, and made sure I dressed, ate breakfast, wet my plants and had myself ready by 8:15am for when those 2 came to pick me up.
The 2 Early Birds were actually two wonderful gentlemen.
One was my fellow classmate and the other was our ride with the complements of Beam Me Up. My classmate was picked up first and then they both came for me to go to art class.
Our drives would be about a half-hour long and we would talk about all sorts of things. At first, I was not a big talker in the mornings and would simply listen to the 2 Early Birds. I always learnt something. As time passed, I too began to join the conversations.
I had fun with those 2, each time was like an independent adventure.
I must have been relaxed around those 2 because some of the times we were heading to drop me home, I felt safe enough to fall asleep. I must have felt that someone reliable was ‘on watch’ and I could indeed ‘take a five’.
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It was on one of those morning drives that I got a lesson in Rap Music. Old School Rap, I was more familiar with, but other than that I was a bit lost in the genre.
Imagine my amazement when I was given a complete lesson about everything in the Rap genre, by an individual whom I had incorrectly assumed may not be familiar with that particular genre.
I did not see that coming.
He taught me who raps under what name, the rapper’s real name, the words being rapped and the intended meaning of the song.
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On another morning drive, my fellow classmate shared an experience about being misjudged by another because of his tattoo and the misinformation it all stirred. Turns out he only got that tattoo as a reminder of the time he really enjoyed a particular vacation.
A reminder for me to always remember to speak directly with a person so I could learn about them, from them.
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One day when we arrived at our destination, I exited the car, walked straight to the door, opened it, walked through and held it open for my Early Bird Classmate to receive it. The very first time I did that, my Early Bird Classmate and fellow traveler said to me,
“S____ you must wait to let another open the door for you.”
That was definitely not the first time I was told to ‘wait’, ‘slow down’, or ‘hold on’. I admit that I have regularly been oblivious to the chivalry of gentlemen.
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Breakfast with…
Whenever a class or fieldtrip was cancelled, I would go sit in another class already in-progress, and that Teacher would always include me in whatever was happening.
Sometimes it was a class where the Teacher would make and serve breakfast, and everyone would eat with each other and simply talk. No matter what happening, that Teacher never locked me out or asked me to leave, and instead included me in whatever was happening.
Thank you Breakfast With...
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High 5
I remember high fiving with another classmate in art class. She positioned her hand to receive my high-five. I raised my hand, aimed to give my high-five slap, and completely missed her hand.
Completely.
My hand slapped the air between her upheld hand, and my body.
High 5 missed.
We both laughed, as did all the others who saw it.
Another humbling reason why I should not drive.
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The $1 Bill
It was maybe my 3rd time in art class, that another classmate gave everyone else an envelope. Each envelope was addressed in her handwriting and handed to the relevant person.
Inside my envelope was a handwritten note to me with a dollar bill.
My classmate hardly knew me, but she still took the extra effort to include and encourage me, as she did for everyone else in the class.
In my letter she told me to keep doing my art, and to use the $1 Bill towards getting my supplies (see picture).
To this day, I keep the entire envelope with the letter and $1 Bill, inside the front pocket of my art bag.
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That is something no one can stop. The unwavering kindness and desire to give something away when people are kind to the Brain-Injured Person.
Most times we (the Brain Injured Person) know that we behaved badly or said some unkind things. And when we return to our senses, we are very sorry and do appreciate the extreme level of another’s kindness and patience with us. So, we will give any money we have, away. Here is where our loved ones and caretakers need to protect us from the people who just want to use us, because we cannot yet tell the difference at this point.
