Do you see what he sees?

If you were to point out a lady in a crowd to your 4 year old, would you identify:

a. her skin color (neh, that Indian auntie ah..)
b. her hairstyle (the lady with the long hair..)
c. what she was wearing (the lady in yellow dress..)
d. her position (the lady standing next to the car..)
e. whatever distinctive object she was holding (the woman with the umbrella..)
f. her actions (the lady talking on the phone..)

..the list is getting extensive. But most of us will choose (A) ? Agree?

I admit, sometimes it slips off my tongue, but rarely. I make it a point to describe someone using all adjectives and pointers, omitting racial information. Thus, Gooly is totally oblivious about Chinese, Malays, and Indians (and other ethnic groups.) These words are not part of his dictionary.

To him, we are all human, from different countries, speaking different languages at times. Some have darker skins because of a pigment called melanin. We are fairer because we stay out of the sun most of the time.

Sometimes when we walk by children with physical disabilities, I steal glances at him, wondering if he saw anything different. The answer will be NO.

For someone who has "WHY" glued to the tip of his tongue, and who has a keen observation skill, I am actually quite surprised that he doesn't ask anything about people in wheelchairs or folks with tubes stuck into their nostrils. We accompany Amah to the hospital often. He had seen many hospital patients, but to date, he doesn't stare or make rude remarks towards them. I am glad.

Sometimes he makes a very matter-of-fact statement like, "The man can't walk, he is using a wheelchair." I suppose when he sees the rest using other aiding machines, he thinks nothing is unusual. They are still human, they just need extra help with their daily activities.

Where we used to stay, there was a sweet Down Syndrome girl who was always willing to share her food all the time. Because she didn't speak, the other children didn't include her in all the games. Gooly was..well, treating her like any other children at the park. I was getting ready to explain to him about her conditions. Alas, I didn't because to him, she wasn't any different.

It was bitter sweet watching them play. She grunts, and he would make a wild guess at what she was trying to say. When he falls, she would pick him up, and brush the dirt off him. And when the sun sets, they wave goodbye to each other.

From Gooly's eyes, we are all the same though different. The differences must be insignificant. Weather it's the skin color, deformities, or other physical attributes. He gives no shiats.

I think I like his idea of living.

P/S: I just remembered, while ber-sushi with angeles the other day, a girl who was shaved completely bald, with a long scar across her head, was seated next to Gooly. She was still in her primary school uniform. I managed to steal glances covertly and it pained me watching her. Gooly, was, well.. totally unaware of her appearance. Look, he is the kind who draws little 'no parking' signs on his art paper. He is a detailed person. But when it comes to how a person 'looks' , he can be considered 'blind'. (That's why I am pretty to him :P)

Ah..my Gooly sees with his heart.

I see... I see..

Do you see?