True Colors

Yesterday, driving home from the coffee shop, I heard the song "True Colors" by Cindi Lauper on the radio. Instantly I was transported back to elementary school when this song was popular.

You see, in the 5th grade there was a blind girl who was fully integrated into our class. She did everything we did, only instead of pen and paper she had a special typewriter that typed braille. And instead of books, she had thick stock paper with raised dots all over them organized into folders. I was astonished that she could make sense out of any of it.

What this has to do with Cindi Lauper is that this blind girl, whose name escapes me, would on occasion sing Cindi Lauper songs to our class. I guess she was kind of famous for doing this impersonation. At first we thought this was pretty cool and interesting that this blind girl, who was only in the fifth grade, could do a pretty good impression of Cindi Lauper.

But then, when it was happening every Friday afternoon, and even one time for the whole school over the P.A. System, it started to get old. Eventually, we were rolling our eyes when she went to the front of the class to serenade us once again with "True Colors... because that's why I love you."

I say all that to say this, had it not been for hearing this song again, I wouldn't have remembered this totally funny and unique memory from my past. I wonder where that blind girl is today, if she still has strawberry blonde hair, and if she still sings for people. I hope she is doing well because I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it would be to navigate this world with out sight.

In my mind, I have age progressed her to look like Bryce Howard, who played a blind girl in M. Night Shalaman's "The Village." Here's to you former classmate.