Aren't we all special?

"Tumi Narcho?", absolutely, you should always dance as if no one were watching.

Inhibtitons are an alien term in this line of work, your enthusiam and willingness to try anything, no matter how bizarre is what seperates you from the more convential type of teacher. I always believe you should never ask of another what you would not be willing to do yourself.

So we danced; we learnt the tango, the waltz, a little salsa, and then only what i can describe as a fusion of street and Hindi dancing. Children with Downsyndrome are renowned for being loving, enthusiastic and friendly, even so Chotto was an exception. Everytime i walked into the room, this bundle of sunshine would launch himself into my arms "Hi Aunty", he would say. Slowly he would life my bag from my shoulder, carefully undo the catch and pull out the assortment of goodies i had roaming around in there.

Chotto would pull out bubbles, ribbons, feathers, pencils, crayons, until he found what he was looking for, my ipod and he would then attach them to the quite resilient computer speakers i take with me everywhere. Chotto would chose a track and then that would be it for the next hour, we would dance until our clothes were soaked through, our breath caught in gasps from pure exhaustion. We danced like our lives depended on it, as if every second were as precious as the last, and as the hour drew to a close i would always catch the faintest sense of saddness lirking behind his eyes, but as soon as i thought i had seen it, it was gone replaced by the most brilliant of sparkles.


We threw a party for him last Sunday night, before he left Hope to join his new home. I grew so very attached to him, as i have with all the special needs boys i work with. I could not however be consumed by sadness, i went with him to his new home and its perfect, surrounded by countryside and people with a great understanding of his particular needs. He will be well looked after aswell as the other boys from Hope who are accompanying him, but i would be a liar if i did not admit, i will miss them all greatly and that i am secretly wishing i could have gone too.