As some of you may know, I work in the health care field as a Registered Respiratory Therapist. The location where I am currently employed is about three or four miles from the Mexican border.
Quite a few of the patients I see on any given shift speak either Spanish only, or Spanish with very little English. I describe my Spanish skills like this. I can order dinner or get in a fight, but that's about it.
What ends up happening is a lot of hand signals and little or no actual speaking- along with a spike in the old stress level, on both sides.
Last night I positioned myself outside the patients room to prepare the medications for her breathing treatment. I could hear her speaking very loudly, trying to get her nurses attention. She was able to do so quite well, speaking only Spanish. I could feel the tension rising already. But, I have a job to do, and I always do my best.
I walked into her room. She looked up at me and spoke something in Spanish, something to do with her scrape with the nurse, I assumed. I inadvertently let out a huge sigh, preparing for the skirmish to come. But it never happened.
She was in her 80's, with long white hair and a wrinkled face that looked like it belonged on a package of candy. She gave me a look of resignation as to our communication gap- then she smiled.
Not just any smile, but a smile that melted me into the floor. Such a sweet, understanding flooded my soul as I approached her. Her smile just disarmed me in an instant, but that's not all.
She still spoke to me in Spanish; BUT I KNEW WHAT SHE WAS SAYING!
For the rest of that shift I felt no confusion when someone spoke to me in Spanish. I would respond in English and was understood.
Sounds strange but it actually happened.
Spooky, huh?
Ken McCreless is just a guy who loves to write. No dazzling website or publishing milestones, just a love for words and a respect for the power they wield. Contact him at ken@kenmccreless.com
Ken, Now this is what I believe the bible calls the gift of interpretation of tongues :-) yay for you! You give me hope on my journey to speaking Spanish, currently is a sad state of Spanglish. Thanks for sharing this inspirational story! Big hugs to Janie!!!
» left by Avis Ward from SC (111 days 8 hours ago.)
Ken, this is so you and nothing short of an amazing man with a tender heart. While I can do a bit more than order a meal and get into a fight, I long to be fluent in Spanish. Your loving heart is one that attracts just as a smile does. A smile comes in all languages and so does love. You were both connected through Love. As Dianne said, no, not spooky at all! Respond to this comment
Ken, I wanted to add on to your response comment but it only has an edit feature for whatever reason....anyway, I have had the same thing happen to me with the opening of the language barrier (mainly Spanish) but when working with families in a criminal atmosphere, so it must be a universal thing ~ kind of like pets coming to comfort the dying. One thing for certain is that you can never outgive God when he decides to shower the suffering with his huge umbrella of comfort and understanding Suzy
» left by Gary W. Halsey Sr. (109 days 16 hours ago.)
Hey Ken, this was great, and something typical of you. I think I can feel what you are saying, because I too live just a few miles from the Mexican border. It's amazing how you can pick up what they are saying when frustrations are extinguished, and I understand the warm smile. I encounter this allot at work, as most of the agents there are hispanic anyway, and I of course have picked up some phrases, not fluently you understand, but enought just to get me in trouble. (No fights yet tho) lol. This was a delightful story, and I enjoyed it immensly and as usual, you never disappoint me....Great story, and the REAL Spooky part is that I can relate! I enjoyed the read, and keep them rolling in....your pal, and fan......Gary.
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