Brown Eyes
One
I put the pen to the paper.
Hi, my name is Gerard.
I love music, TV, reading. I love hanging out with friends and family but what I love mostly is singing.
The thing most people don’t realise at this point, was that I was writing in Braille. I am blind.
I need to tell you at this point, that I am blind, at that you most probably won’t understand this letter. But in case you do, and you like these things, too…
My class is N9.
I sealed the envelope and carefully placed it behind the sink. I could hear nobody was around, but it was after school, so why would they be here? I would do this most days, hoping that somehow someone would find the letter and write back, they never did. I pulled my backpack over my shoulder and quick marched from the building.
My Mom didn’t trust me walking home alone because this area was kind of crime ridden. I had to replace a few walking sticks because older kids would break them or steal them and leave me alone in the middle of a busy street.
“Geebear! Gerard, I’m here!” I could actually sense her flailing her arms like a crazed lunatic.
“Mom, I may not be able to see, but I can hear pretty good,” I joked and smiled.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart, I just didn’t think you would know I was here,” She put her arms around me, as usual, and led me to the car. I slid into the passenger seat and plugged in the seat belt. I stared out of the window, imagining what was outside.
Grass? No, I knew there was grass, I could feel it. Trees? Oh, yeah. The one time I walked into one…
“Plugged in?”
“Yup.”
“Gerard, move your hand,” I sighed, “I can still ground you, mister.”
I held my hands up to show her I wasn’t holding it down.
“Right, off we go…”
I concentrated on the bumpy road, trying to picture how it would look in my mind. Probably pot holes, dirty, grey roads with a dust lining.
“Mom, what does this road look like?”
“You know I don’t like answering these,” She scowled.
“I know but, just tell me.”
“Well, a few holes, mud all over the place.”
“Just as I thought,” I muttered.
I had a Brother, Mikey, but he was staying at my Grandparents for a while so that I can have some time with my Mom. We all became close when I lost my sight. I was in a car accident and the force was so hard that my eyes become detached and couldn’t be repaired. I was lucky to be alive. Thankfully, Mikey wasn’t in the car, so he wasn’t hurt at all. Mom didn’t know whether to be angry with me or cry with me.
At least I know what my Family look like, some people will never know what they look like. The car pulled to a slow halt.
I stepped out and walked slowly to the door. I loved this house, it was big, had a garden and smelled like coffee.
“I’m just gonna get myself a coffee,” And you could tell why, my Mom was addicted to it!
“Thanks for offering.” I replied sarcastically. I took my backpack off and slumped it near the door, running up the stairs.
---
I woke up to the smell of toast wafting throughout the house.
“Geeman, wake up! Time for school!” I heard a call from downstairs and groaned. I turned over in my bed, but missed and fell off.
Steadying myself, I fumbled around the room, searching for the pile of school clothes put out the night before. I felt for the opening of my shirt and pulled it over my head, doing the same for my trousers.
“I’m up!” I crawled, literally, to the stairs and slowly stood up, taking steps down the stairs. I felt along the rough wall until I came to an open space. I turned, holding my hands out.
“Here, let me help you,” She stood up, but I snatched my hands away.
“Mom! I can do it,” I growled at her. I heard her sit back down. “I know you mean well, but I can sit down on my own.” I sat down and munched on my toast, feeling guilty. I pushed my plate aside and yawned into my sleeve.
“Your shirt is on back to front,” She laughed.
“Can you do it for me?” I stood up as she turned my shirt around for me. That was another thing about being blind, when my Mom wasn’t here, I couldn’t tell what I was wearing. “Damnit, I’m gonna be late.” I said, screwing my face up.
“…How did you know?”
“I can just tell. Can you take me to school? Please?” I whined.
“Of course,” She got up and ruffled my hair.
Hi, my name is Gerard.
I love music, TV, reading. I love hanging out with friends and family but what I love mostly is singing.
The thing most people don’t realise at this point, was that I was writing in Braille. I am blind.
I need to tell you at this point, that I am blind, at that you most probably won’t understand this letter. But in case you do, and you like these things, too…
My class is N9.
I sealed the envelope and carefully placed it behind the sink. I could hear nobody was around, but it was after school, so why would they be here? I would do this most days, hoping that somehow someone would find the letter and write back, they never did. I pulled my backpack over my shoulder and quick marched from the building.
My Mom didn’t trust me walking home alone because this area was kind of crime ridden. I had to replace a few walking sticks because older kids would break them or steal them and leave me alone in the middle of a busy street.
“Geebear! Gerard, I’m here!” I could actually sense her flailing her arms like a crazed lunatic.
“Mom, I may not be able to see, but I can hear pretty good,” I joked and smiled.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart, I just didn’t think you would know I was here,” She put her arms around me, as usual, and led me to the car. I slid into the passenger seat and plugged in the seat belt. I stared out of the window, imagining what was outside.
Grass? No, I knew there was grass, I could feel it. Trees? Oh, yeah. The one time I walked into one…
“Plugged in?”
“Yup.”
“Gerard, move your hand,” I sighed, “I can still ground you, mister.”
I held my hands up to show her I wasn’t holding it down.
“Right, off we go…”
I concentrated on the bumpy road, trying to picture how it would look in my mind. Probably pot holes, dirty, grey roads with a dust lining.
“Mom, what does this road look like?”
“You know I don’t like answering these,” She scowled.
“I know but, just tell me.”
“Well, a few holes, mud all over the place.”
“Just as I thought,” I muttered.
I had a Brother, Mikey, but he was staying at my Grandparents for a while so that I can have some time with my Mom. We all became close when I lost my sight. I was in a car accident and the force was so hard that my eyes become detached and couldn’t be repaired. I was lucky to be alive. Thankfully, Mikey wasn’t in the car, so he wasn’t hurt at all. Mom didn’t know whether to be angry with me or cry with me.
At least I know what my Family look like, some people will never know what they look like. The car pulled to a slow halt.
I stepped out and walked slowly to the door. I loved this house, it was big, had a garden and smelled like coffee.
“I’m just gonna get myself a coffee,” And you could tell why, my Mom was addicted to it!
“Thanks for offering.” I replied sarcastically. I took my backpack off and slumped it near the door, running up the stairs.
---
I woke up to the smell of toast wafting throughout the house.
“Geeman, wake up! Time for school!” I heard a call from downstairs and groaned. I turned over in my bed, but missed and fell off.
Steadying myself, I fumbled around the room, searching for the pile of school clothes put out the night before. I felt for the opening of my shirt and pulled it over my head, doing the same for my trousers.
“I’m up!” I crawled, literally, to the stairs and slowly stood up, taking steps down the stairs. I felt along the rough wall until I came to an open space. I turned, holding my hands out.
“Here, let me help you,” She stood up, but I snatched my hands away.
“Mom! I can do it,” I growled at her. I heard her sit back down. “I know you mean well, but I can sit down on my own.” I sat down and munched on my toast, feeling guilty. I pushed my plate aside and yawned into my sleeve.
“Your shirt is on back to front,” She laughed.
“Can you do it for me?” I stood up as she turned my shirt around for me. That was another thing about being blind, when my Mom wasn’t here, I couldn’t tell what I was wearing. “Damnit, I’m gonna be late.” I said, screwing my face up.
“…How did you know?”
“I can just tell. Can you take me to school? Please?” I whined.
“Of course,” She got up and ruffled my hair.