Peace In The Silence

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            There’s this quote that talks about how the earth or is it mother nature places us in situations because we can’t become our truest self’s without them.

    I don’t know who wrote it anymore neither do I understand it’s entire meaning I just like the words “truest self” why? Because it sounds poetical and philosophical..sometimes I think I’m nuts because of the things I think…

         “Miriam!” Yinka yells in an attempt to regain my attention and I turn to face him “Am I that boring that you keep zoning off?” he asks frowning and I grin signing the word “Maybe.”

          Understand the fact that I’m not dumb, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with my vocal words,I could speak if I wanted to. I just didn’t want to, sometimes I’d try to but the words always feel stuck…I’m not sure I know what my voice sounds like, hopefully it’s better than the voice in my head.

         The term for people like me is selective mute. I choose not to speak instead I communicate with sign language and writing, thankfully ASL that is American Sign language is taught in school’s here , by here I mean “America” if you haven’t caught the gist yet here it is, after my father’s death, we relocated.

       So communicating isn’t exactly hard, most people understand sign language and the ones that don’t I communicate with them through the fine art of writing.

         “Get out of your head.” Yinka says getting angry and I roll my eyes “If all you’re going to do is scold me about getting in a fight again, I’ll rather remain there.” I sign folding my arms, let him know that he’s not the only one that can loose his temper.

          “Let me see your hands.” He says and I stretch them towards him, “Good at least this time you didn’t break your thumb. You’ll need ice for the bruising though.” He says and I scoff “What do you take me for?” I sign and he laughs  “See this one ooo, was it not me that taught you how to punch well?” he asks and I tilt my head making a thinking face before shaking my head “I don’t remember.” I sign and he starts laughing as he shoves me playfully.

         I should’ve probably started with an introduction instead of dropping little tidbits of myself, so here it goes.

         I’m Miriam Coker, daughter of the late Mide Coker, every Nigerian who knows their country’s history knows who that is, I’m seventeen…sixteen actually but I’ll be seventeen in a couple of months, potato; potahtoh I’m a selective mute with no future ambition because I honestly don’t know what I want to do, I’ll probably end up working in one of my mum’s fashion house as a model, I do that during the summer holidays.

        I like to collect words ranging from a single word to an entire paragraph and to also annoy my brother Yinka. I have friends but I’m nobody’sclose friend and nobody is mine, generally speaking I have just accquaintances, yeah that’s the word for it, I space out a lot and I will fight you to death if you try to hurt my family or the love of my life which is food:; beans is not included in that except they’re jelly beans.

       A hard knock brings me out of my head and I glare at Yinka but he shrugs, I’ll get him back even if it’s the last thing I do… dramatic much I know, I find it annoying how people think because I don’t speak I’ll all philosophical and moody and calm…yes I like philosophical words and I can be calm but I also like drama and revenge..

       Looking around I notice Thea, she’s someone’s daughter and by someone I mean someone famous and she is in loooovveee with my brother, she even learner ASL to impress him because let’s be real she doesn’t like me, not one bit.

        Noticing us she quickly walks up to us “Hi Yinka!” she squeaks  I she thinks she’s chirping though, “Hi Miriam” she says in her normal tone before she turns back to Yinka without waiting for me to sign a reply.

      When they’re done talking and we’ve gone out of her radar, Yinka starts laughing and I grin knowing why “No be juju be that?” he asks and I grin.

        Yinka at a point liked Thea for her smile he said which was funny to me because her mouth looked like a duck's beak with teeth in them and when she smiled; the vision was hilarious, and I pointed it out to Yinka who now says that anytime he sees her the image of a duck with a beak full of teeths flashes before his eyes.

         “God only knows the things that will come out of your mouth if you choose to speak.” Yinka says laughing and I grin “A whole lot of things.” I sign and it was the truth, if I was speaking I’d be a chatterbox with no control.

        “When do you intend to start speaking again, it’s been ten years now, almost eleven.” He asks and I frown “ I’ve forgotten how to.” I sign and he  hisses “ That’s a lie because sometimes when your asleep you say all sorts of nonsense.” He says and I raise a brow “Really? Like what?” I challenge and he stares at me.

      “ Like keep potating. Where do you even learn all those nonsense words from sef?” he asks and I give him my I’m laughing face.. “The internet duh. “ I answer as we enter our compound “And it’s potatoes will keep potating.”