The Boy Ch. 02

The parents had the boy re-tested. They upgraded to a much better hearing aid. The kind he had was prone to malfunction. The parents could not thank Alice enough for what she did at the restaurant.

The mother said, "I am sorry Alice for my behavior at the restaurant. We should have been more prepared for that kind of problem. You were right, yelling at him was just making him scared. Is there some way I can repay you Alice?"

Alice said, "That is easy ma'am, just love him, forever and ever. It's a lesson some friends of mine are teaching me."

The little boy gave Alice a big hug and signed 'I love you.'

The mother asked, "What did that mean?"

Alice encouraged the little boy, "Go ahead and tell her."

The little boy turned to his Mom and signed it again, "I love you!"

Both parents quickly signed it back to the boy.

Later, the President was staring at the poster on Alice's door. It wasn't a platitude. The President now knew exactly what it said and its meaning. Alice was making a public proclamation that she loved her sisters and most were oblivious to it.

The next day, the President mentioned to Alice," I went onto the 'Gallaudet University' website last night, I wanted to know more about sign language. They offer six levels of intensive course training, could I use you and Matron to learn from? I realize Matron may not know everything, but we could learn together.

"I am your friend Alice, and I want to help you to the best of my abilities. I don't want to see you dragging yourself into the house totally exhausted because you were so frustrated that you had to run all over campus.

"You have many friends to help you now, me, Matron, your sisters, your study group; but most of all you have your Mom."

Classes were flying by, mid-terms had come and gone. The study group was finding out they could express themselves better verbally by knowing sign language.

Thanksgiving was depressing for Alice, most of her sisters and study group left for places unknown. Matron made a phone call to the alumni board to get the updated information.

"Hello, this is Matron, listen we have a young woman at the house who is a little depressed because most of her friends went on break. We have some extra bedrooms if you want to stay over."

The voice said, "I will be right there Matron, work has been hounding me to take days off anyway."

Alice and Matron were talking in the kitchen, Alice's back to the door opening, a person walked in muttering, "Now what was I going to do, let me try to remember."

Alice spun her chair around so fast she almost fell from it, "Sister!" Alice flung herself into Sister's arms.

"Hi Alice, I got a May Day call and heard there was free food and a room I could stay in so I thought I could spend break right here. I think both of us should have some tea and maybe some biscuits."

Alice had a bright smile, "You remembered, we did not have biscuits then."

Sister said, "We did not have tea either, we did have a special friendship. You were the only one who knew what I needed."

With Alice's Mom leading the way, deep in her soul, more crushing weights fell off sister and Alice, both were almost healed.

Alice and Sister talked for hours. Alice was one of the best things that Sister ever had in her life. They had so much in common, even though the age difference was vast.

For dinner, they went to a new Italian place just off campus, neither wanted to cook. Dinner was fantastic. They had large family style cooking.

There was not much activity at the house so Sister went to bed early, for she was tired from travel.

The next day was Thanksgiving Eve. Only Sister, Matron and Alice were at the house. Two sororities and a Fraternity were combining numbers to have a big bash. The President from one of the sororities came over and personally invited all three to their soiree.

They were told to bring fruit for fruit cup. Sister and Alice went to the store. Alice went to the produce aisle to see what looked good. Sister went the opposite direction to get her goodies.

When they got back to the house, Sister went into Matron's office and whispered something into ear, an evil grin enveloped Matron's face. She scurried upstairs to her room, she wanted the best shock value. Alice did not know what was going on.

"TA-DA!" Sister and Alice turned to where the noise came from, cell phones could not come of pockets any faster. Matron went through a series poses. Sister sent texts to Dean and Mary while Alice texted her President and the one hosting the party tomorrow.

Matron had her hair down, she wore skinny jeans and a black tee-shirt with a very large Minnie Mouse face.

The recipients of the pictures were first slack jawed and then they could not stop laughing.

"You look fabulous Matron", Sister said,

"OK ladies, we are going to make 'Sister's Spicy Pumpkin Bread' for tomorrow; you can have fun punching and kneading it."

"Where'd you get the fab Tee Matron? The jeans look very chic on you," said Alice.

"A sister got it down at the mall, on clearance. She said 'Minnie' looked like me.'"

Everyone was having a grand time, especially Matron, who rarely participated in such activities. Flour was everywhere, pinches of salt covered the floor. It took all day, but it smelled great in the oven and turned out nice and golden brown.

The next day, Alice brought her fruit in and came out again, all three made a big show about their loaves of Pumpkin bread. The bread was a big hit. The combined feast only had about twenty people attending. The hostess found out who had low totals still at campus, no one should be alone for the holidays.

Sister confided to Alice, "We both have a very special bond, we need each other to heal. You need your Mom to help and I need God, so all four are intertwined. I want to keep in close contact with you," as she was putting her contact information into Alice's phone.

Alice mentally considered Sister's statement, "Could Sister help me find God? Would it help with healing for Sister and me?"

"Sister, could you take me to that church you went to? God seems to be helping you, I could at least find out if I like it or not."

Sister smiled, "I would be honored, if you like it, then maybe we could be Skype prayer buddies, just us two."

Alice said, "Do you think it would help?"

Sister still smiling, "I'm sure it would speed things up, remember we need to go into 'soul therapy' after we get healed, both are God's specialties."

Sunday morning at church, Sister shared her Bible so Alice could read along. Alice noticed there was a different feel here than she ever felt before, one of sereneness, like a protection of peace that covered the building.

Alice was confused about the service, she thought one guy spoke and that was it, but it was much more. There was a choir singing. Sometimes the people sang, but she didn't. Someone read part of the Bible. There was a prayer time, even the preacher announced prayer needs of the people. The preacher spoke on a topic. There were a few other things also.

After the service Sister introduced the church lady to Alice and said, "I will sit outside while you and this lady talk privately."

When Alice started talking to each other she explained, "I was born deaf so Mom and I never went to church. I was never went until today. As you know, Sister also incurred isolation from church growing up. As soon as I met her, I knew she was a kindred spirit. I even invited her to a tea party, as I was a child, and started teaching her to sign.

"We have been helping each other start to heal ourselves.

"Mom died last year and I am still working on it, I am using her to help me heal."

Sister mentioned, "We have a special bond between us, you need your Mom to help you and I need God. The four of us are intertwined. I thought if God could help Sister then He may help me. Then I can have Mom and Him help me. So, that is why I am here today."

The church lady said, "What did you think about the service today?"

"The singing was nice, but I didn't know any of the songs. I tried to pay close attention to the preacher, when he talked about an example from someplace else in the Bible I didn't know what he meant. I was confused mostly. I never read the Bible before today."

The church lady commented, "Confused is a good place to start, you probably are that way with schoolwork until they teach you. That is what the Holy Spirit is for, he is our guidance counselor both for believers and non-believers.

"Later I will give the same things I gave Sister. I don't expect you to read book after book in the Bible right off the bat. Prayer will be the easiest thing for you to do now. You can just say sentence prayers. You can pray 'God put you healing hand on my friend and give the doctors the wisdom for my friend.', then when they get well say 'Thank you God for healing my friend."

"You can also pray generally like 'Thank you for giving us such a wonderful day today.' God is waiting for us to talk to him. Anything that worries you bring to Him, anything you want to thank Him for bring to Him.

"I don't think Sister would mind me telling you, I met her on Christmas Day. Some months later she called me and wanted to ask me questions."

She said, "Something happened in my life and things started to click."

"That something was you and your tea party. Your tea party turned Sister's life around. You made her turn around, now she is traveling away from where she was. You truly have a close bond with each other."

Alice, in disbelief, "How could she, it was just a kid's tea party?"

The church lady smiled, "Alice, God puts people in others' lives for a reason, and it does not matter if they are a Christian or not, He picks the right person."

"He picked you, someone who never read the Bible. Someone who may have never prayed to God. Someone who didn't even start school. Being deaf may have heightened your awareness of her troubled problems, something others couldn't do."

"I see you have problems believing this, it did happen. It is hard for us to imagine just how we fit into God's plan."

When the meeting was concluded and the church lady went to get Alice's gifts, Alice, with tears streaming down her face, ran into Sister's arms. "Did my tea party change your life?"

"Yes, it did Alice, for the better I might add. You knew my hurts as soon as you saw me, maybe you have the same hurts. Would you like to work through our hurts together? Maybe it helped you also, it just took us twelve years to find out," remarked Sister lovingly.

Alice could only nod her head and she held on tight to Sister.

Later that afternoon while Alice drove Sister to the airport. Sister looked at Alice, "Let's keep each other accountable, maybe one Skype call a week to start so I can see your face. I don't want you to tell me you are 'fine' while you are in your pajamas eating a quart of ice crème."

Alice, who was mock offended, "I would never do that to you Sister," she shook her head, "Maybe an extra-long Tee shirt, but never my good pajamas," Alice smirked.

Alice was a little sad Sister had to go home, but excited that their friendship had grown. She still wasn't sure about this God thing yet. She was glad all her sisters would be back today or tomorrow. The old house felt so hollow with only two people in it.

People viewed Alice in two different ways. She was very friendly and good to be around, yet there was a mysterious air about her that put some people off.

Miss President could not wait to see her friend again. Alice had been weighing on her mind over break, but she was not sure why. She wished more of her sisters would take more of an interest in Alice. She seemed like she has always been on an island her entire life.

She called one of the main people in her study group. She explained her island theory to him; and do you think we can build a land bridge to reach her?

One Friday night, Miss President came into Alice's room and proclaimed, "Alice you are studying too hard—we are going out."

Soon Alice found herself lacing up those classy shoes one can only find at a bowling alley. Alice had never bowled before. She insisted that her President go first so she could watch how she bowled and how the ball reacted as she tried to knock down certain pins.

The first game Alice was terrible, the second game she was much improved and the third game she almost beat her friend.

As they were leaving The President excitedly pointed to a flyer, "Look Alice, Friday night team bowling. Let's make some new friends and make a team. You need a way to relax."

"Look, your study group does not meet on Friday and you do not have class the next day."

Alice nodded glumly, "Maybe we can find a few more sisters."

"No Alice, you need to widen your circle of friends. You would already have something in common with them and who knows what else. Before the fifth frame of the first game they will want you as a friend."

The next day Alice was extremely bored, everyone went to see the 'Big Homecoming Football Game."

Chess was Alice's game; she could think five moves in advance. She would play variations of two separate gambits, at the same time, which confused even a very good player.

Alice's President was right. Her circle of friends was limited, Sister even had to be called at Thanksgiving break. She was sure her President already had two more bowlers just waiting to form a team.

She went up to her President's room and said, "I will do it with one caveat. No match-making by you or your friends in any permutation. That means no loop-holes."

"If I go out with a guy, I want it to be because I like him, not that someone else thinks I should like him. Think carefully before you agree, your word is your bond. I will allow introductions, but if someone thinks he is so hot then he or she should ask him out."

The President's eyebrows peaked, "He or She?"

Alice said, "Well if they are consenting adults doing it of their own free will who am I to judge. There will be enough busybody's, who don't know what they are talking about, to do that for me."

"So, who are the other two bowlers you have picked out?"

The President blushed, "Am I that predictable Alice? Well they are very nice people."

"In fact, we should identify things you like to do, and go do them. If you meet someone fine, if not, you are still doing something you like to do. And I give you my word, no match-making."

One day Alice brought in a huge corkboard; she generated a huge map that only showed fine art centers and museums. The multi-page map was quickly re-assembled on the corkboard. Colored push pins denoted what kind of place it was. Alice went on-line and became 'Friends of' many of the larger societies of the fine arts.

Alice came to the President and said, "I am quitting the team, I really don't have much fun and Saturday is my time and Sunday is Church and Sunday Evening is Skype with Sister. I don't even know where to fit in signing classes."

It turns out, Sister was doing the same thing for the same groups in her area (They honored Alice's memberships.) Living in a large city meant Sister had much better events. Alice would look on-line at the events where Sister lives and picked out two or three can't miss events. Alice would book her flights months in advance. This sometimes meant going to the airport straight from the event.

Over time, Alice became more mean-spirited. When coming home from a date, she would say," I would've had more fun reading the Jones' section of telephone book," or "His idea of culture is lettuce."

When the President pointed out lettuce had no culture Alice grumbled, "Exactly."

Matron couldn't figure out what was going on with Alice

It got so bad, her own study group kicked her out.

The President came into Alice's room and said, "It has been suggested that you not come back to school next semester. I got a petition today with enough valid signatures to send to national our recommendation for a ban on you . . . nationally.

"It is written in such a way, that if you improve your temperament I can disregard the petition. If you don't improve your temperament all the officers and Matron would send a letter for or against banishment. Frankly, I would have sent a banishment letter a month ago, your clock starts the moment I leave this room. As a friend, please don't force me to write that letter and send those forms to national."

Alice called national, "I am told there has been a petition for banishment for me nationally. I assume that is greater than fifty percent. I don't want to stay where I am not welcomed, and I do not want to have my friends write those letters. Can you just fax me the relevant papers, I will sign them and fax them back and move out tomorrow if that is OK with you?"

The only way Alice could make it out was stoically, not talking to any of the sisters and just a few of the jocks as they put her belongings in the moving van.

Alice buried the 'I Love You' poster at the bottom of the dumpster. The President just happened to be looking out the window drinking her coffee, as the brightly colored object fell into the trash truck.

The next day, the letter arrived from national. The President handed the missive to Matron and ran up the stairs. Matron posted the document on the office door. Alice wanted to emphasize to national the reasons she wanted self-banishment. She bullet-pointed more than a dozen reasons.

One was. "I disappointed my mother and my grievous actions ran against all she stood for." Another was, "I don't want any of my remaining friends to go through this process."