Thursday, April 20, 2006

Spastic Children

It's the usual weekday morning... left the house for work... though heading a different direction today - for a lesson visit. Hopped onto Bus 81... I took the front seat as I was not too familiar with the area of my destination. That's also my usual choice - that I have a better front view, too.

As the bus just started to move... one teenager came over, sat beside me. Obviously, he has problem communicating... no, no... that's the normal reaction... why 'ka-ciao' me? There're so many passengers on the bus... he was trying to tell something with his two fingers... trying to utter a few words, but I could not figure that out at all! No, no... I don't understand... don't bother me, please...

Quickly, I shifted to the middle of the bus... but my eyes could not move away from him... yes, he's a spastic child... somehow, felt very sorry... could he be asking for some help? or he's trying to be friendly (Am quite sure he's not trying to be funny)... but, still could not pick up the courage to give him a chance to express himself, to try to understand him...

After a couple of bus-stops, he shifted to the back, and try communicating to a JC student, to a young child, and a mid-20 passenger... no, everybody responded like the way I did... for a moment, I realised that I'm so 'cold'... is the society that 'cold'??? On the other hand, am wondering if he is trying to practise what he learns in class - be friendly to people around him - however, it seems like our society is yet ready to accept people of abnormality in our daily life.

He alighted just before Meridian JC... still, I could not lift my eyes from him... yes, he was heading towards the centre... but I can see a smile actually appeared on his face as he walked towards the gate...

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