I went about my morning, like any other morning. However, I do know that my mornings will never be like yours. Yet they are normal, and mundane, just the same. - A quick cup of coffee, at the house, a stop a the bagel store, a fill up at my local gas station and a 45 minute commute.
Thursday was just a little bit different. I looked at the alarm clock, and wonder why I was getting out of bed? I had spent the night before studying (AGAIN) for a test I didn't want to take. I had no reason to stop at the bagel store, because I was anything but hungry. Coffee is a luxury that I enjoy in secret. On Thursday I felt compelled to follow my doctor's orders. Maybe caffeine was to blame for all my, sudden, educational problems. Maybe if I bypassed my cup of morning Joe I could, once again ace a test. - It was at least worth a shot.
Bleary eyed I walked into the bagel store. If I couldn't have coffee I needed to eat, something. A hush fell over the morning crowd of scrambled egg eaters and coffee drinkers. I wasn't in the mood to be the center of attention, even though I knew I was the cause of the sudden silence. Suddenly a little boy broke the, thickening, quiet. "Mommy, is that a little girl." I was praying that mom would give a half way decent answer so I could take my bagel and run! - She didn't!! "No that's a grown up. No shh!" (Please tell me why the word "that" often replaces "she.") The theatre voice in me said: "Action, Taniya you're on!" And as if on cue, the little boy said "well what's wrong with her?" And the monologue rolled right off my tongue. "Ah I just have short legs!" I said. "But why?" he countered (OK it wasn't really a monologue, because this kid was relentless!) "Because every one's built differently." I told. This went on for several minutes. The whole time mom stood frozen like a deer in headlights. Out of nowhere this 4-year-old hit me with a question that left me speechless. "How do you drive?" You could have heard a pin drop in that room. I was stunned for two reasons. 1) He never asked if I COULD drive. In his world everything is possible. He was curious as to HOW. He was smart enough to understand that my height must impact my daily life some how, but didn't see an interruption. 2) He was 4 years old and had the bravery to ask a question that everyone in that store was curious to know. There wasn't one person that didn't listen, to the answer. once I told him I had long pedals he shrugged a returned to his plate of eggs.
His mom looked at me, and could not have been more apologetic. "He does this to me all the time." I desperately wanted ask her: what is "it" that he does to you? She apologized profusely. I told her not to apologize for having a child who is inquisitive. Her son did something few PEOPLE do: He treated me with dignity, and respect. He asked the question that he was curious about, and let me answer. He acted with maturity far beyond that of a 4 year old. And most importantly he was brave enough to ask. At 4 years old he opened a forum for me to educate a room full of people, without any of us realizing it. He'll probably never think of me again, but hopefully when he sees someone "different" he'll remember that "everyone is built differently."
As I got in the car I was asked how I drive, I thought: I'm heading to take a test when I have all the education I need to do what I'm meant to be doing. I'm meant to be speaking to people. My career was always meant to have an audience ... since my life always has been.
