Post by secrets on Dec 23, 2007 18:07:11 GMT -8
A Special Moon
David curled his tiny toes up in protest. Colleen, his mother, tugged at his right foot and began forcing it into the little, shiny, blue shoe.
‘It’s always like this.’ Colleen told the shop assistant. ‘He hates anything on his feet, but he’ll just have to…he’s autistic you see…’
‘Here let me.’ The assistant offered.
She spoke to David in soft tones as she dangled both shoes in the air by their laces. Like a puppeteer, she gently walked them up his legs until she found his knees, and then made the shoes appear to jump as she sang:
‘…and the cow jumped over the moon.’
‘Oh my, he likes it.’ Colleen said excitedly. ‘Look, he’s smiling; I’ve never seen him smile.’
For David, it was a strange feeling; to be in tune with something outside of him. There had been other times, but they’d been illusive and forgettable.
David’s small hand clenched Colleen’s extra tightly. He didn’t look up, not once. His eyes were fixed in wonderment on the shiny, blue shoes as they walked him home. He refused to take them off at bedtime. Colleen let him sleep with them on; making sure his blanket didn’t cover them. She opened the curtains and let in the light.
‘Look David, the moon.’
David could not take his sleepy eyes from his new shiny, blue shoes and the circle of yellow light, which seemed to miraculously appear on them. He smiled for a second time. In the heart of a world that overwhelmed and confused him, he had found a special moon.
Secrets ~ © 2007
