"Unquestionably unique." Your friends tell you. You smile proudly and look at me. You sign what they just said across to me. I sign back "Thank them for me". You do that. They smile and shake my hands. I find it a weird custom to shake hands. Some smile wonderfully at me, some are so weirded out by me. That I can do so much for a girl is beyond them. You say that is not it, but I know.
I sit down on the chair that you have placed near yours. I want some familiarity now- the crowd to see me is huge and I feel a little overwhelmed. I pick at my dress and you soothe me. They ask me to smile and I show them my teeth and you ask them to back away and give me some space because I am getting angry. I agree. I do feel angry. They ask me to pose for photos with me father. "Hug him", "Closer", "Tighter", "Give him a kiss", the reporters say. I don't understand what the fuss is all about. I do the tasks you tell me. I do them with speed because I just want to go home to my teddy- Tommy and cuddle into bed for a nap. Some get on their feet and marvel at what I do and clap thunderously.
I feel bored now. I get down and walk to edge of the stage where they have mild coloured lights. I am interested in seeing my shadow on the wall. I strike different poses. They clap for that too. You come over and lead me to the mike. You say " Layla will now take questions." There are a lot of people raising their hands. You point at them and they ask me questions. You sign them to me.
"How does it feel?", one asks. I say, "Nothing different." "What do you want to do now?", I sign "Go home". "Do you like to sing?", "I like it when my father sings. I can't sing." The questions go on. I am bored and I refuse to sign for some. I plop down on the floor and start banging. You know its time to go.
You stand up and say, " I rescued Layla when she was a baby. She is my daughter. She has emotions too and I urge you all to take a stand against testing chemicals on animals. She maybe a chimp but she can sign and perform tasks and that should show you they are individuals too. She can paint and rocks to music, which should show you that they can feel too. She stands up for her fellow animals. I urge you to show your support."
They clap now for me. And like you said, it is not because I am a girl, but because I am a true marvel.
I know.
I sit down on the chair that you have placed near yours. I want some familiarity now- the crowd to see me is huge and I feel a little overwhelmed. I pick at my dress and you soothe me. They ask me to smile and I show them my teeth and you ask them to back away and give me some space because I am getting angry. I agree. I do feel angry. They ask me to pose for photos with me father. "Hug him", "Closer", "Tighter", "Give him a kiss", the reporters say. I don't understand what the fuss is all about. I do the tasks you tell me. I do them with speed because I just want to go home to my teddy- Tommy and cuddle into bed for a nap. Some get on their feet and marvel at what I do and clap thunderously.
I feel bored now. I get down and walk to edge of the stage where they have mild coloured lights. I am interested in seeing my shadow on the wall. I strike different poses. They clap for that too. You come over and lead me to the mike. You say " Layla will now take questions." There are a lot of people raising their hands. You point at them and they ask me questions. You sign them to me.
"How does it feel?", one asks. I say, "Nothing different." "What do you want to do now?", I sign "Go home". "Do you like to sing?", "I like it when my father sings. I can't sing." The questions go on. I am bored and I refuse to sign for some. I plop down on the floor and start banging. You know its time to go.
You stand up and say, " I rescued Layla when she was a baby. She is my daughter. She has emotions too and I urge you all to take a stand against testing chemicals on animals. She maybe a chimp but she can sign and perform tasks and that should show you they are individuals too. She can paint and rocks to music, which should show you that they can feel too. She stands up for her fellow animals. I urge you to show your support."
They clap now for me. And like you said, it is not because I am a girl, but because I am a true marvel.
I know.
nIce one Meena.
ReplyDelete-Meena Sehar
thanks meena!! :)
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