A handicapped man at the cafe

Today I forced myself to go down to the corner coffee shop to study. I have a final project due tomorrow. I need to get out the house to work on it.

While I was walking down the street, I was thinking about my summer volunteer work at the art services for handicap people, because someone mentioned it today at mayacafe. I thought about writing about it during the break.

I ordered a sandwich and ice tea, and sat down at a table by the window. There were several men at the cafe, working on their computer. Some of them seemed to know each other well. They must come here often.

Then I noticed one forty-ish man had physical disability. He was talking with difficulties. His annunciation was slow and deliberated, as if forced. When he stood up and walked around, his legs were weak and he had to use a cane. He had a big smile on his face the whole time. I immediately thought that he was handicapped, like those students I was working with this summer.

I was surprised to see that he was working on a computer. Was he just looking at pictures on the internet? Maybe his guardians set him up with stuff he could look at while they ran about their own business. But who were his guardians? Was that taller man who was talking to him a while ago? I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I gathered that he was trying to entertain him by asking him some simple questions.

The man stood up, and walked around the little cafe, saying hello to some other men. When he passed my table, I was a little worried that he would come to bother me. But he merely went out for a while and came back to work on his computer again. His left hand was writing on a writing pad, while his right hand was at the keyboard, scrolling or clicking. I overheard the tall man asking him what project he was working on, and he said something about website. I couldn't make of if--how could he know so much terminologies to carry out a intelligent conversation? Some other customers stopped by and said hi to him. He smiled at each of them excessively. He also made a phone call, and before he hung up, he said "I love you" to the person on the other end of the line. He was acting like a normal person, only his speech was challenged.

When it began to get dark, I wanted to turn on the lamp on my table, but it was unplugged from the wall. I didn't know the rules of this cafe, so I left the lamp as it was. A shop keeper went around and turned on the Christmas lights. When he was by the handicapped man, the man pointed toward my direction and said something about the lamp or the plug. His speech was difficult to understand, and the shop keeper was confused. But from his gesture, I knew immediately that he was asking the shop keeper to plug in the lamp for me so I could work under proper lighting. I was astonished. He was so observant to notice that I was working in a dim light, and the lamp was unlit because the plug was out of the wall. After a few trials, the shop keeper still didn't understand. I got up and wanted to do the plug myself. Then the shop keeper realized what was happening, and came over to help me.

I glanced toward the man and gave him an appreciating smile. He smiled back, acknowledged my thanks. It was a smile marked with understanding and contentment. I changed my judgment about him. How could I judge someone from the way they speak or the way they walk?

Later I overheard some more talks between the man and the taller man. From what the taller man was saying, I gathered that they were discussing politics, education, arts, and other interesting subjects. I became curious, but I had to finish my work, and I had no energy to meet people these days.

When I decided to leave, I turned off the lamp, and stood up. I had to walk past the man to get to the door. I looked toward him, wondering if he would notice me and nod goodbye. Yes, he did. He simply raised his head, nodded, and smiled. Behind his thick glasses, his eyes were sparkled with wisdom and love.