Buffalo Gal

They just called it stuttering then. It wasn't "pressured speech" and there were no high priced specialists.
The district had a woman who moved among the various schools with her flashcards and infinite patience. Her classroom at my elementary school looked as if it had previously been a closet.
I'm sure her academic credits were impeccable, but she was more than classroom smart.
She didn't look for the root cause or psychological deriatives of my tumbling words. She told me I did wonderful "r"s and "s"s... and she had whole student groups who couldn't do either.
She got "special permission" for me to miss several important parts of the kindergarten, first and second grade day to "help her with the other children" because I was "so smart, could "easily make up the work" and the r and s children "really needed" me.
Pumped up with articulation pride I read aloud to the others careful to show them exactly how my perfect r and s sounded.
"Race, run, robbers be done. The terrible dragon is here," I read aloud time and time again. "Tewwible dwagon" the others said, but I sounded like Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins.
Obviously, she couldn't make a big deal about my spectacular consonants in front of the others who were still struggling, but she'd tell me in quiet confidence that I was the best ever.
Not an awkward, afraid stutterer. mind you, the best ever. Somewhere along the line I learned that if I took a breath, controlled my emotions and realized that people could actually want to hear everything I had to say, I could sound like the kids who never had to go to the closet room.
I'm embarassed to admit I don't remember the therapist's name or physical characteristics. I know she was beautiful and she made me feel the same.
Flash forward 40 years and my words can still tangle, but I know how to back up and fix it.
I spoke at a professional conference in San Francisco a few years ago and caught myself mentally running through the "terrible dragon" script at a slow deliberate pace immediately before taking the stage.
Later this week, I'm going to the local NPR studio to record a commentary from an earlier blog in this space. The terrible dragon, with his solid, deliberate consonants will likely find voice in the car on the way there. He'll be in the back of my mind in the studio.
And guessing she is now in her 60s or 70s, I'm hoping the Sloan School District speech therapist might be in the listening audience. I wouldn't expect her to recognize a much changed voice and name.
But I'd like her to know she is a sweet, spectacular, sensational dragon slayer.

Copyright 2005 Judi Griggs

Buffalo Gal Judi Griggs I'm a communications professional, writer, cynic, mother, wife and royal pain. The order depends on the day. I returned to my hometown in November 2004 after a couple of decades of heat and hurricanes. I can polish pristine copy, but not here. This is my morning exercise -- 20-minute takes without a net or spellcheck. It's easier than sit ups for me. No guarantee what it will be for you. Clicking on the subscribe link will send you an email notice when each new entry is posted.
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Previous Entry :: Next Entry Read/Post Comments (1) Share on Facebook		2005-05-26 8:14 AM The best darn r and s sounds ever They just called it stuttering then. It wasn't "pressured speech" and there were no high priced specialists. The district had a woman who moved among the various schools with her flashcards and infinite patience. Her classroom at my elementary school looked as if it had previously been a closet. I'm sure her academic credits were impeccable, but she was more than classroom smart. She didn't look for the root cause or psychological deriatives of my tumbling words. She told me I did wonderful "r"s and "s"s... and she had whole student groups who couldn't do either. She got "special permission" for me to miss several important parts of the kindergarten, first and second grade day to "help her with the other children" because I was "so smart, could "easily make up the work" and the r and s children "really needed" me. Pumped up with articulation pride I read aloud to the others careful to show them exactly how my perfect r and s sounded. "Race, run, robbers be done. The terrible dragon is here," I read aloud time and time again. "Tewwible dwagon" the others said, but I sounded like Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins. Obviously, she couldn't make a big deal about my spectacular consonants in front of the others who were still struggling, but she'd tell me in quiet confidence that I was the best ever. Not an awkward, afraid stutterer. mind you, the best ever. Somewhere along the line I learned that if I took a breath, controlled my emotions and realized that people could actually want to hear everything I had to say, I could sound like the kids who never had to go to the closet room. I'm embarassed to admit I don't remember the therapist's name or physical characteristics. I know she was beautiful and she made me feel the same. Flash forward 40 years and my words can still tangle, but I know how to back up and fix it. I spoke at a professional conference in San Francisco a few years ago and caught myself mentally running through the "terrible dragon" script at a slow deliberate pace immediately before taking the stage. Later this week, I'm going to the local NPR studio to record a commentary from an earlier blog in this space. The terrible dragon, with his solid, deliberate consonants will likely find voice in the car on the way there. He'll be in the back of my mind in the studio. And guessing she is now in her 60s or 70s, I'm hoping the Sloan School District speech therapist might be in the listening audience. I wouldn't expect her to recognize a much changed voice and name. But I'd like her to know she is a sweet, spectacular, sensational dragon slayer. Copyright 2005 Judi Griggs Read/Post Comments (1) Previous Entry :: Next Entry Back to Top