Laughing all the way with Nattaya

In my classes, I have two differently able students. One is autistic and the other one is in his wheelchair. Nattaya ,at 36 was born autistic. She is the one that attracted my attention and admired at her cheerful life.

She has a difficulty in speaking in a normal articulation and can hardly write properly for minutes. The first time I saw her sitting in my class, I wondered what makes her interested to study English conversation in spite of her speaking disability. What amazed me is the fact that she is the fast learner among her adult classmates. She easily memorizes words and their spelling every time I give them spelling test. And when it comes to English conversation, Nattaya has all the confidence to try than most typical Thai women I met.

However, it touches me every time she speaks because her face tend to twist and her saliva uncontrollably drips from her mouth after a minute of talking. When it occurs, she would grasp her mouth and slowly reach it with her handkerchief, wipe it down to her chin and apologize at me. Although many times I told her " it's okay Nattaya", she never forgets to say " I'm sorry, teacher", thinking that her difficulty in oral recitation bothers me.

Of course I'm not bothered about it. It only surprises me every class we have because I have never seen her sad. She used to laugh in our class that somewhat irritates her classmates. Even without any cause, she likes to call my attention and laugh. I love it even if my students looked at me with disappointment because I laugh with her too. It relaxes me a lot every time Nattaya laughs. Actually, the first time she did it, I just looked at her and smiled at her direction But as it happens every session we have, I've learned to pause for a moment from my discussion and simply laugh with her cheerfully. What a relief to see a handicap like her laughing without any intention of disrupting my class. She is just a cheerful woman.

It's obvious to her classmate that Nattaya laughs like a seven-year old kid. But it doesn't matter to me. At 36 with her innocent laughter, I wish I have her kind of world. So free from tension, anxiety and gloom. I never believed she is different from her matured classmates. Because she analyzes, memorizes and participates actively in my class more than I expect her to be. I can see she is aware of her handicap but seems never mind it at all. Her eyes glittered when she laughs so free from struggle of being different from others.

Bidding goodbye when I dismiss Nattaya and her classmates after class is a treat I like to witness most of all from her. But before she bids goodbye, Nattaya would stay for a moment for her daily ritual. She used to walk toward the chalk board, grabs an eraser and slowly erases all the writings on the board. I don't know if she is aware that I have difficulty too to raise my only useful left arm. But she loves to do something for me. With her arms slightly twist when she raises them up (but at least she can raise it up higher than my left arm can do), Nattaya skillfully cleans my board good as new.

Then she would smile when she finished, picked her bag and stuttered words I can not understand. But I'm sure she says goodbye. Because she would wave her arm awkwardly, walks on limping a little. When she would reach a few meters outside, Nattaya simply looks back at me and laughs like the way she does in my class. It's so wonderful to watch her leaving, laughing along the way. It makes me smile too when I close the door and reflect what an amazing life could be where cheerfulness and laughter are all possible in spite of handicaps.