Ambience (Poetry Book 2)

Light Night was Interesting. 17-22nd September, 2019.

Night of 17th

Work ended to the usual

And a novelty

My ride home overlapped with the weekly shopping haul

So I third-wheeled into The Hub to help my parents shop for the house.

True, I'd rather stay at home or the car that's second best, but "filial piety" echoed in my ears as joints soundlessly stretched in my leisurely pace by their sides.

I'd lose nothing, I told myself;

Winding down the stay with free benefits in quiet additions of what I liked into a pair of shopping carts....

But something interesting happened.

Unplanned action in inaction

Simply put: My batteries died.

Now many might think,

"So? It's just a phone- or what could it be?"

This is my cochlear implant we're talking about-

My ear, you see.

Usual evening shopping hubbub 

Midweek

Turned to a silent trip from fruit crate to crate

Mid-speech.

I told the parents and quietly carried on, manning the trolley and bagging what's weighed.

Corner's pressure raised to list words unremembered

Signs spelled or used foreign in local- since ASL is not Kenyan all the time.

There was no shame or embarrassment because I've accepted and fallen for my deaf identity.

There was only a short internal complaint-

"That the hassle is unnecessary".

Trying to sign continuously was a fun challenge though

And I tagged along

The headache induced by my seasonal cold

Fading later on

As I picked what I liked and what we need.

The whole experience got me thinking

Thinking such that I said out loud from the back of the car

"This was nice. I'm really tempted to do this for at least 24 hours and see how I do".

'Cause it was nice.

Refreshing.

Quiet.

Challenging.

Calm.

Honestly simple.

Easy.

My mum looked back, showing a shocked expression from shotgun

Out of amusement at the idea

Not discomfort

Since parents are only bothered when child is bothered by a bother

My deafness is old news

No news

In this family.

But I was serious.

In that mere hour the pressure of communication and my culture of constant intimate observation

Reminded me of what I'd taken for granted

Of what I'd forgotten.

My culture.

One of many.

The ideal space

To absorb my vernacular

One of many.

Yes. Yes, I should seriously consider 24 hour deafness

And wholly experience my claimed identity as an artwork of deafness

Being an ambassador for those still living in the misconception that disability is incapability

To those who say so without knowing better.

Yes, the music is gone

But beauty can be found manywhere

So pity is unneeded.

Smile with me instead.

Tonight was very interesting.

A/N: September 23rd, 2019
Happy 2019 International Day of Sign Languages
Sign with Me.
Let's all learn something new this year.
Edited- 24 September, 2019