If I could have left Li-Li's video another day, I would have...even a week, she's so beautiful, but I actually had a day worth blogging about...and it has been a long one. I began the day by Hokey Pokeying with one of my pre-school classes, then I bought myself a new military green coat for my birthday (November16th) and at 1:00pm I met Jordan and his class in the cafeteria. As I've said before, his typical school day is from 8-1, but twice a week he goes back to school to study Music. On Fridays,his class walks to the cafeteria of a private school for lunch, because there is no cafeteria or lunch service in his school. He is such a picky eater that he can never find anything to eat at the cafeteria (keep in mind it's an Italian cafeteria and this food is nowhere near the moon cheese pizza and rubber spaghetti of my fondest school memories)so I show up with a couple of pieces of pizza and some peach flavored iced tea. Jordan says, "Thanks!" and as I'm about to leave I see the deaf gentleman, Francesco who always drops by my house to say hi, leave information and ask how Jordan's doing. He was sitting and having lunch with his 10 year old son Roberto who is hearing and who signed and interpreted for me so that I could communicate better with his dad.
I had seen Francesco about a month ago when I asked if there were sign language courses available and he had said no. Keri, who left a comment on one of the posts had suggested that I attend a function organized by the Deaf Community or even an informal get-together. So, I proposed these ideas to Francesco, but he said there were no organized events planned for any time soon, then I asked about a dinner among friends, although I felt like I was inviting myself, but he said there weren't any get-togethers organized in the near future. I'm trying to learn sign language!!! Then, something so sweet happened, (aside from the fact that his son is unbelievably mature and it just rocks my world that he acts as an interpreter at age 10)Francesco looked over at Jordan, sitting at the table with his friends, laughing, hanging out and signed (that was then translated by his son)"He has a really nice group of friends." Francesco had this really happy look in his eyes watching Jordan as he signed this, it was just one of those can't-quite-put-words-to-the-emotion, amazing
moments.
Then, after I had a couple of afternoon English lessons, I came home and found an envelope from my dad of a book report that a nine!!! year old hearing child named Rudy Chacon Jr.had done for school on RALLY CAPS. Allow me to quote this highly intelligent eleven year old with exceptionally great taste in literature...Rudy writes, "After the injury Jordan(the hearing character) is fearful and does not want to play baseball ever again. His parents send him to a sports camp to overcome his fears. He meets a boy named Luca who is deaf. Luca has a determined attitude and teaches Jordan to love baseball again..." Rudy also writes, "Luca is a deaf boy that has a cochlear implant. Luca has had to overcome many hard times and teaches Jordan NOT to give up his dreams...Jordan realizes he has made a great friend that has helped him overcome his fears. I would recommend this book to all my friends and anyone I know because it teaches a good lesson in friendship and courage." Rudy Chacon Jr. read RALLY CAPS, wrote a book report and "got it!" He now knows not only what a cochlear implant is and how to spell it correctly, but that DEAF means DETERMINED. THANK YOU SO MUCH RUDY FOR WRITING SUCH AN INCREDIBLE REPORT!!!!(I heard he got an A++)
Just when you think life can't get any better, it does. Tonight at 6:45 pm Italian time, I translated an email from a small Italian publishing company requesting authorization from my publishing company Publish America to publish RALLY CAPS in Italian...the waiting begins. Will my own son ever be able to read the book he inspired? We're getting closer.
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