Love Is Deaf, Not Blind

I got out of my dad’s faded, blue Ford Pinto, slamming the door loudly so it would close properly.

“I’ll pick you up when I finish work,” Dad calls out as he pulls out of the high school parking lot his bald tires crunching against the gravel. I was taking my placement for my course in Sign Language Studies: Human Services here. I’d be translating for a deaf girl in all her classes. I walked towards the ugly red brick building looking for the office. I rounded the corner and spotted the letters hanging loosely O fice above a green painted door.

“That wasn’t so hard to find,” I say out loud to myself smiling. I open the door, a bell sounds and I’m hit with the smell of artificial lavender. It’s so strong it turns my stomach. I pray that I don’t throw up. I hold my breath as much as possible as I walk across the squeaky wooden floor toward the counter that splits the room in half.

“Hi dear. What can I do for you?” The middle age lady at the counter asks. Her breath smells strongly of mint and I can’t help but stare at her choose in entire. She’s wearing a My Chemical Romance band shirt with her short greying brown hair is in two high pigtails either side of her head “Can I help?” She prompts. I can see her bright purple lipstick spotting her teeth.

“Oh, sorry.” I apologies hastily. “I’m here for um, my placement?” I can hear the questioning tone in my voice. I quickly pull from the pocket of my jeans the letter my teacher had given me. It’s crumbled and I can see the rings form my morning coffee on it as I place it on the counter between us.

“Oh that’s right. You must be here to translate for…Jocelyn Parker. I have her school schedule and a map here somewhere.” I watch as she rattles through draws looking for them. So the girl I was looking was named Jocelyn, I wondered briefly what she’d be like. Would she be oral at all? Would she be able to lip read?

“AH! I found them.” I’m snapped out of my thoughts by the yell. She hands the two slightly bent pages over to me. “You should head over to her first class and meet her there. Umm give this to the teachers.” She grabs a piece of paper from the printer and start to write quickly over it. “There you go all set.” She says it like a dismissal.

“Thank you for your help.” I head out the door I came through taking a deep breath of fresh air. I can taste the expected rain on my tongue and smile, I love the rain especially after such a hot summer. I scan over the schedule then look at the map. I mark out each of her class rooms, before heading to her first class.

The warning bell sounds as I walk down the corridor. I head into the classroom to find an old grumpy guy seated at the desk.

“Hi I’m Andrew Britchall, I’m Jocelyn Parker’s Interpreter.”

“Where were you yesterday,” He grunts not looking up from his crossword.

“I was only told yesterday that I had my placement here.”

“Well good luck because she is as dumb as bricks. You can wait for her by the door. ” He looks up and points to the door. I notice he’s cold grey eyes for the first time, they send a chill down my back.

“She’s deaf not dumb.” I tell him as I walk out the door. I lean against the wall watching the students as they walk into the class. How was I meant to know what she looks like? I wait until the stream of students stop before going back into the room.

“Umm, Mr Wane?” I ask carefully. “Is Jocelyn here? I haven’ –“ I’ cut off as the tardy bell sounded.

“No see’s not. Now get out of my classroom.” I frown but I don’t fight. I head back out and lead against the wall. I’d give her 15 minutes if she didn’t turn up I’d leave.

It wasn’t long until I spotted her. I knew it was her the moment I saw the hearing aid poking out between her long black ringlets. She was short wearing a short purple dress that made her seem shorter, with light delicate looking skin. She looks up as she nears the class and I realise just how beautiful she is.

’The school assigned me to translate for you in class.’ I sign hastily suddenly very nervous.

I’m shocked by the sudden anger the flashes through her beautiful brown eyes that were warm just moments ago.

’Thank but no.’ She storms off into class leaving me stunned for a moment. I hurry in after her.

“Sorry…I…late…did…not…hear…bell.” She says it slowly but I still have trouble working out what she says. Oral, but I’m guessing she hasn’t done much talking aloud.

“Take you seat quickly Miss Parker.” Mr Wane snaps angrily. I quickly follow her and take the seat next her.

’I am Andrew.’ I tell her. But she ignore me and pulls out a notebook. I wave my hand to the side know she’d be able to see it But she ignores me. This is going to be a long day.