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Dear readers, I did expect others would look at me as different, but of course, I was different...I was from Astrangeorus! I was not sure, but I thought people would not like me because I was too "different" but, I was wrong! They loved the fact that I came from a different country and especially a place like Astrangeorus. Even though I found that coming from a place like this was kind of "cool", I still assumed that my communication problems would make people stay away from me. Wrong again.
My brand-new name and brand-new land was a hit! The fact that I talked differently was "fun" for others. When I would switch nouns or words, of if I would search for the perfect word others would jump in immediately to help, smiling, letting me know that it was fine. Within a day or so, several new "friends" volunteered to help me with my "speaking problem". For some reason, many people wanted to be the first person to "help" me to talk, properly again. They enjoyed it and so did I.
In my "other world" when others found that I have aphasia, very few people would take the time to even say "hi", much less help me to do anything. Most were just "too busy" or had to go somewhere else. Most of the time they would talk to me like I was hard of hearing , or even "stupid". In my "other world" it was depressing, but in my new Strange Land people wanted to talk to me. When they found that I came from "another place" they wanted to ask me about everything, and they wanted to talk for a long time. When I needed to ask someone to say something again they would just smile, and say it again, doing it slowly so that I could make sure that it was right. They thought it was fun to help and it was fun for me also. I loved this new Strange Land!
Can you imagine...people talking without saying things like "too bad" or "how long will it take to get better", or being able to listen to others without others watching to see if you can "understand", looking at you like you lost your memory? Can you imagine...people wanting me to have a beer at a bar with them, or even wanting to have dinner together? Incredible! All because I have gone away, to another Strange Land, where I can be "normal", except the fact that I speak differently. This new Strange Land where people care about others, and don't think about the fact that I talk different. They just assume that I came from somewhere else. And I do. I came from Astrangeorus and I could stay there forever!
But, of course, I can't. I have to go back home, away from my new Strange Land. I have to go back where I belong, Aphasia Land, where everyone knows that I have aphasia. Where they forget where I live, or forget my telephone numbers. I have to go back where I belong, where everyone will remember every day, every hour and every minute that I am different...that I have a "problem". My aphasia tells me every single minute that I am different and if I forget there will be someone right there to remind me again. I'm different...I have aphasia and don't forget it!
But it was fun, sort-of. It is strange that I was exactly the same person when I was "away" then I am now. The difference was them, not me. They did understand, but they didn't know why. They thought it was because I came from a different place...Astrangeorus. I did everything that I did when I was in my new Strange Land that I do now, but others didn't know that I have aphasia. They thought I was just like everyone else, except the fact that I spoke different.
My fantasy was wonderful, but I have to go now. I have to find out how much clothing, shoes and other stuff I need so I can go for a longer time. Want to go too? I'm going to go only one-way this time, not-stop, via CyperAir. I don't know, or care, how the weather is in Astrangeorus, I simply have to get back as soon as I can!
Do you have your own Astrangeorus? I bet you do. Everyone has a little place in their mind that has a spot for your fantasy. For me, this "Strange Land" worked great...no aphasia, no disability, no people that talk about my "problem". A Strange Land, my strange land. I liked it a lot, but, of course, this is an Aphasia Fantasy...I think.
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