We Are Able

Episode 33

On and on I lived a happy life with the children of Mrs
Omotayo. If only I could live with them forever, I
wouldn’t have anything to worry about.
I was obsessed with the love of Biodun to the extent
that I learnt the Braille method of writing, since that
was the only way I could communicate with him
without asking for the help of la!de his sister.
If only Biodun had eyes, it had been better. He would
have learnt the sign language too. I found the sign
language the easiest means of communicating.
I acquired the material for writing in Braille, the paper,
the pin, then I began to write:
Dear Biodun,
I have been wanting to tell you this all the while but I
didn’t know how to express myself because I am a
female and you are the male. However, I thought it
doesn’t matter.

The simple truth is that I want us to be lovers. It may
be funny, a deaf mute girl dating a blind guy. How would
they communicate with each other? How would they
protect each other? I shall do all I could to protect you,
Biodun, and no hurt would come to you while I live. I
love you as you are because Love Is Blind. Infact, love
is also deaf and dumb. In summary, I LOVE YOU. Pls
reply me.

Rose.

Bode was spying at me while I was writing it. I took
the paper and began to make for the garden to give
him. I didn’t want to give it to him myself, else he
wouldn’t take me serious.

I pushed la!de’s wheelchair to him and la!de gave it to
him after a brief conversation between them. Biodun
didn’t read it at once. He just held it in his right palm.
I was disappointed.

The day after, I began to await Biodun’s response, but
he didn’t say anything. I even asked la!de to ask him on
my behalf if he had read it. la!de herself didn’t seem to
understand the content of the letter I wrote in Braille.
Maybe I didn’t write it well, I thought. Perhaps my
English was bad. However, Biodun’s disposition towards
me didn’t change. He remained as he used to. I doubted
if he read the letter at all. If he had read it, then he
should either show more interest in me or show hatred
for me; he shouldn’t be sitting on the floor.
During the second term holiday, Bode did something
very annoying as he was wont doing. It was a shock
when I saw la!de lying on the floor, her wheelchair
lying upended on top of her body. She was weeping
profusely.

I rushed with impulse to raise her up. When she was up,
she began to point towards the back of the house. I
rushed there and found Biodun tied to the mango tree.

His mouth was gagged such that he couldn’t shout. I
began to loose him. No one needed to tell me that it
was Bode’s doing.

As I bent to loose his feet, an elbow landed straight on
my spinal cord. I fell in excruciating pain. Bode laughed.
I began to rise with the little strength remaining in me.

Bode opened his dry lips and slotted in a mango leaf to
remind me of my situation. The chemical in my head
mixed together. I groaned like a wounded Lion ready to
attack.

Bode rushed forward to hit Biodun whose feet were still
tied to the tree; only his hands were now free. His fist
landed on Biodun’s face. His mouth went wide apart for
a scream. I knew he was screaming when I saw the
shape of his mouth. I couldn’t bear it.
I lurched forward immediately. Bode didn’t expect me
to reply his attack on Biodun because I had been living
like a dummy ever since my mother was imprisoned.
He realised how serious I was only after my slap had
rocked his cheek. I knew he felt it so much; the impact
was immense, like an earthquake.

Bode rushed at me with full force and gored me down. I
was angry. I lost my guard, else I should not have
fallen down. However, I had Bode’s cloth in my grip. I
pulled it until he was also on the floor beside me.

I turned Bode around and beat him black and blue. I sat
on his back as I turned his neck to the sun and filled his
mouth with sand. I believed Biodun was hearing Bode’s
cry. It would do me proud before him; perhaps he would
reconsider me and reply my letter. I untied Biodun at
once and rushed back to deal with Bode who had just
managed to get up his feet.

I grabbed Bode by the neck and put my fingers into his
nostrils, wanting to tear them apart. Bode pleaded for
mercy but I wouldn’t listen or I didn’t hear him speak.

But his gestures carried it all.

Biodun even came between us to stop me. I listened
for his sake and left Bode alone. The boy ran like
thunder and rushed into the room, shutting the door
against himself.

I held Biodun by the hand and put a hand around his neck
as I led him to the front of the house. Biodun and la!de
laughed. They were talking to each other. la!de saw
Bode while he was running into the house, filled with
tears.
I led them inside their house and sat on a chair.
la!de tore a piece of paper and wrote something in it;
something she had just discussed with Biodun and felt I
should ‘hear’ it too. I read.
Now I believe we are able indeed. If three disabled
people could conquer Bode, an ablebodied young boy,
then it means that Bode is the disabled and WE ARE ABLE
la!de said it wasn’t all yet. She said she had a gift for
me:
What’s that? I wrote back.
la!de asked me to wheel her towards the reading table.
I did. la!de reached for a big notebook on the table and
poured down its content. A thick paper fell. la!de
pointed at the thick paper and I picked it up. It was a
reply of Biodun’s letter a month ago.
I was shocked when I saw the date he addressed it to
me; same day I gave him mine, but la!de kept it so long
from me purposely.
I read the Braille writing style and my eyes flashed like
torchlight.
When Toyosi returned, she had to knock and knock
before Bode opened the door. I knew I was done for it
and my heart lurched. I had her bags on my left
shoulder.

Toyosi met Bode in tears. She asked him what
happened and Bode pointed to me as he spoke. Toyosi
turned to me with a wrinkled face. I consoled myself,
knowing what exactly would follow. I wouldn’t mind
since I was only doing it for love, I thought.