Flying in a Cage by Melody J. Bremen

Author:Melody J. Bremen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Melody J. Bremen
Published: 2020-07-20T18:20:14+00:00

Doctor

“Look at this picture, Ivory,”

the doctor says.

I look.

It is a pair of eyes.

“What is the person

in this picture feeling?”

Nothing.

I look some more.

“Is she happy, sad,

angry, or frightened?” he asks.

It is just a picture of eyes.

The girl doesn’t say

if she’s happy or sad

or angry or frightened.

The girl doesn’t have music.

I shrug.

“How about this one?”

Another picture.

“Is he happy, sad,

angry, or frightened?”

“I don’t know,” I say.

“Okay, good, Ivory.

You can sit on the couch

near your mother now.”

I sit. The couch is hard,

cold, plastic,

sticks to my skin.

I touch the suede pillow.

It has soft tassels.

The voices float around me.

Development.

Social life.

Episode.

Focus.

I drum my fingers on the couch.

I practice my song

so my song

doesn’t get lost.

I close my eyes.

In my mind,

I see a piano

in front of me.

My fingers dance

on the keys

and the music plays

in my mind.

“Ivory, please stop that.”

Mom’s hand covers mine.

I keep tapping

under her hand.

The voices keep talking.

Eye contact.

Stimming.

Mom’s voice,

sharp and tight,

“My daughter is very bright.”

The music in my head

turns cold.

Diagnosis.

Autism.

Spectrum.

High-functioning.

Extra attention.

Mom’s hand moves over mine,

stroking.

“Come, Ivory, it’s time to go home.”

The doctor gives me a sticker.

I leave it

on the chair.

We go home.

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