{"id":67,"date":"2019-04-09T00:16:29","date_gmt":"2019-04-09T00:16:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english.illinoisstate.edu\/euphemism\/14-2\/?page_id=67"},"modified":"2019-04-11T15:29:00","modified_gmt":"2019-04-11T15:29:00","slug":"the-play","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/14-2\/the-play\/","title":{"rendered":"The Play"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bob Chikos\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Armed\u00a0<\/span>with a degree in history<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0I figured the State Department could use a guy like me.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Eight months later, I st<\/span>ill hadn\u2019t heard back from them \u2013 or anyone.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I needed to do\u00a0<\/span>something<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I blanketed my county with applications, including\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>facility for adults with\u00a0<\/span>intellectual\u00a0<\/span>disabilities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I applied for anything available. Within a few weeks, I had my first post-college job.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I worked a<\/span>s a recreation specialist<\/span>, coaching Special Olympic athletes, running physical education programs, and teaching leisure classes, such as art and dance.<\/span>\u00a0Since the facility served both residents and commuters, the people we worked wi<\/span>th were known as\u00a0<\/span>part<\/span><\/i>icipants<\/span><\/i>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There were roughly 180 participants at the facility. It\u00a0<\/span>served<\/span>\u00a0an amazing\u00a0<\/span>variety<\/span>\u00a0of people<\/span>, f<\/span>rom very low to very high functioning.\u00a0<\/span>They\u00a0<\/span>ranged in age<\/span>\u00a0from early 20s to early 80s<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>their disabilities stemmed from\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>ll sorts of syndromes<\/span>, including<\/span>\u00a0autism,\u00a0<\/span>cerebral palsy, Down, epilepsy,\u00a0<\/span>Noonan,\u00a0<\/span>Prader-Willi, traumatic brain injury,\u00a0<\/span>Turner, Williams, and, most common, unknown.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I had heard that most people who work<\/span>ed<\/span>\u00a0at similar facilities did so for only about a year.\u00a0<\/span>The emotional rate was very high<\/span>\u00a0and m<\/span>ost often, people would leave for better pay in another field.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I worked with\u00a0<\/span>three\u00a0<\/span>people<\/span>\u00a0at my level, all young men fresh<\/span>\u00a0out of college.\u00a0<\/span>Two were physical education majors who were banking on an eventual teaching job and one was like me, a liberal arts major with\u00a0<\/span>few<\/span>\u00a0other options.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aside from teachin<\/span>g classes, which was only about half of our day, we did not have much direction as<\/span>\u00a0to our responsibilities<\/span>. With all of this idle time, the guys in the office spent much of\u00a0<\/span>their days<\/span>\u00a0telling jokes and\u00a0<\/span>wild\u00a0<\/span>stories<\/span>\u00a0from college<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0I wanted to join in the fun, but I was worried about getting caught goofing off.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Our boss was Myrna, a proud Missourian of indeterminate age. When she wasn\u2019t around, we tried to guess how old she was. Our consensus was, \u201cpushing 70<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Myrna was difficult to work for.\u00a0<\/span>Imagine 70% Ma Kettle and 3<\/span>0% Yosemite Sam.\u00a0<\/span>S<\/span>he had short blondish-white<\/span>\u00a0hair, faded<\/span>\u00a0with age, crooked teeth\u00a0<\/span>adorned\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0perpetual<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>bits of lipstick<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0tinted glasses, coffee breath<\/span>, and wore<\/span>\u00a0nylon warm-up suits<\/span>\u00a0that zip-zipped when she moved<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Although she was vague about her past, from what I pieced together from old pens and folders, I\u00a0<\/span>deduced<\/span>\u00a0she taught physical education at women\u2019s colleges in the 60s and 70s. As I like to create stories when I lack evidence, I imagined her losing job after job as single-sex colleges closed their doors<\/span>. She liked to brag that she<\/span>\u00a0created\u00a0<\/span>our<\/span>\u00a0department<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0\u201cwith\u00a0<\/span>my<\/span>\u00a0own bare hands!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite our\u00a0<\/span>adjoining\u00a0<\/span>offices, she preferred to summon me via phone.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

RING-RING!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I could tell it was her by the forceful way it rang.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRec, this is Bob.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBob, this is Myrna. Git over here when\u00a0<\/span>ya<\/span>\u00a0have a minute, will\u00a0<\/span>ya<\/span>?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I hated going into her office. I was non-confrontational<\/span>, while<\/span>\u00a0she was intimidating. I wasn\u2019t\u00a0<\/span>exactly<\/span>\u00a0sure what she did, aside from attending\u00a0<\/span>occasional\u00a0<\/span>meetings and yelling at us to, \u201cquit\u00a0<\/span>assin<\/span>\u2019 around!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But this time she was smiling.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This couldn\u2019t be good.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHave a seat<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0Bob.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I sat on the other side of\u00a0<\/span>her<\/span>\u00a0desk, in a chair that faced parallel, requiring me to twist my body to face her.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBob, I need to ask you a favor. You can say no, but I thought I\u2019d ask.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOK.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know about the play the choir director is putting on?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>A little bit.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEvery year we put on a play. It\u2019s a big deal for our participants<\/span>\u00a0and their families<\/span>. Well, this year the lead role is done by Marie Abraham.\u00a0<\/span>Y<\/span>ou know Marie<\/span>, right<\/span>?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I nodded. Marie was a\u00a0<\/span>sweet,\u00a0<\/span>high-functioning participant.\u00a0<\/span>W<\/span>e had a connection because we had the same birthday,\u00a0<\/span>although<\/span>\u00a0Marie was 20 years older.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if you know this, but Marie has brain tumors. She has to go to California for treatment.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I looked down at\u00a0<\/span>the carpet<\/span>. \u201cOh. I didn\u2019t know that.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe thing is, the participants have been working so hard on this play for so long and it\u2019s only a week away. I asked the choir director if there\u2019s anyone else who could fill in on such short notice and she said no. So<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0what I\u2019m asking Bob, is would you take the role?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u00a0<\/span>tried<\/span>\u00a0to say yes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou could read the script from the stage for all I care<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d\u00a0<\/span>she said.\u00a0<\/span>Then she did something I hadn\u2019t seen before. Her steely eyes became soft and her tight, angry face relaxed. \u201cI\u2019m asking you because you said you like acting, that sort of thing. And you\u2019re the only one in that office who I know would actually do it.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do it.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHot dang!\u201d she yelled and c<\/span>lapped her hands<\/span>\u00a0once<\/span>, as if she<\/span>\u2019d\u00a0<\/span>just won<\/span>\u00a0a<\/span>\u00a0carnival game. Then she\u00a0<\/span>rose from her chair,\u00a0<\/span>leaned over her desk,\u00a0<\/span>extended her right hand<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>vigorously shook\u00a0<\/span>mine. She<\/span>\u00a0looked me in\u00a0<\/span>my<\/span>\u00a0eyes and gave a heartfelt, \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

S<\/span>itting down, s<\/span>he got back to business.\u00a0<\/span>She handed me a stapled packet of papers.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cHere\u2019s the script. Your lines are highlighted. Like I said, you can just read them. That\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I scanned the script. \u201cI think I can learn these by\u00a0<\/span>next week<\/span>.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She smiled at me as if I said I\u2019d memorize pi. \u201cAnd if not, like I said, it\u2019s OK to read them.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I quickly became the golden child of the department.\u00a0<\/span>Whenever<\/span>\u00a0she came to the office to tell us to quit\u00a0<\/span>assin<\/span>\u2019, I<\/span>\u00a0pointed<\/span>\u00a0to the script and g<\/span>o<\/span>t a free pass.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u00a0<\/span>rehearsed<\/span>\u00a0nightly<\/span>. During each session, something went wrong.\u00a0<\/span>Adam, a seizure-prone\u00a0<\/span>4<\/span>0-year-old who wore a helmet,\u00a0<\/span>read h<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0lines\u00a0<\/span>without punctuation, giving it a run-on quality<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Ernie, a character who told everybody, \u201cYou\u2019re fired!\u201d long before Donald Trump popularized it, kept putting his hand over his mouth while\u00a0<\/span>speaking<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Alyssa<\/span>, a feisty middle-aged lady with salt-and-pepper hair,<\/span>\u00a0would alwa<\/span>ys forget one of her lines and wail<\/span>\u00a0\u201cOh I\u2019ll NEVER get this right!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and storm off the stage<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

W<\/span>ithin a few sessions, I had my lines down<\/span>, along with everyone else\u2019s<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>The arrangement<\/span>\u00a0worked well because<\/span>, when<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0participant forgot their lines<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0I could discreetly\u00a0<\/span>cue them<\/span>\u00a0on stage.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On the night of the performance, the gym was filled with a couple hundred folding chairs<\/span>\u00a0for<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>family members<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>They<\/span>\u00a0filed in<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0hugg<\/span>ed<\/span>\u00a0the other parents they\u2019d gotten to know over the years. I thought about how my parents were acquaintances with my friends\u2019 parents, but this must\u2019ve been a stronger bond.\u00a0<\/span>W<\/span>hile my parents and my friends\u2019 parents knew we\u2019d eventually be independent, these parents\u00a0<\/span>had to fight<\/span>\u00a0together for their kids\u2019 futures.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Alyssa kept looking at the families from the dressing room. \u201cI think I see my mom. That\u2019s my mom!\u201d She wrung her hands. \u201cOh, I don\u2019t want to screw up in front of my mom!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll be fine<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d I assured her.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ernie went missing. I found him outside the gym, walking in circles with<\/span>\u00a0his hand over his face.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on in, Ernie.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0<\/span>nerbus<\/span>!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s OK to be nervous. That just means you\u2019re in the zone!\u201d I said, splaying my arms,\u00a0<\/span>gangsta<\/span>-style.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn da done?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, in the\u00a0<\/span>zooooone<\/span>!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The play\u00a0<\/span>was\u00a0<\/span>interesting.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ernie sat on a prop chair and it broke.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam screamed his lines into the microphone, causing a minute of feedback.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Alyssa performed a line almost flawlessly, except for a minor, unnoticeable concentration issue, then yelled, \u201cOH NO! I screwed up! I ruined the entire play for everyone!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I spoke to Alyssa out of the side of my mouth. \u201cYou\u2019re doing fine, Alyssa. Your next line is\u2026\u201d While I said this, I expected to see frowns from the audience, wondering why we didn\u2019t train their family members better.\u00a0<\/span>Instead,\u00a0<\/span>I saw\u00a0<\/span>smiles<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These family members\u00a0<\/span>had\u00a0<\/span>lived many years with their own special\u00a0<\/span>person and<\/span>\u00a0knew the joy that comes from innocence. Now they were w<\/span>atching<\/span>\u00a0a whole stage of special people, perpetual wholesome children. There was such genuine and hearty laughter<\/span>\u00a0–<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>they<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>underst<\/span>ood that imperfections are what make<\/span>s a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>pe<\/span>rson<\/span>\u00a0lovable<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There was never a happier crowd \u2013 on either side of a stage.\u00a0<\/span>I couldn\u2019t tell who was happier: t<\/span>he participants<\/span>, proud of their achievement or<\/span>\u00a0the family members\u00a0<\/span>who saw<\/span>\u00a0their loved ones live fulfilling lives.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We bowed, although some just waved from their wheelchair<\/span>s<\/span>. W<\/span>e received a\u00a0<\/span>five-<\/span>minute-long<\/span>\u00a0standing ovation, complete with whistles.\u00a0<\/span>My first thought was, \u201c<\/span>Whew,\u00a0<\/span>I\u2019m g<\/span>lad\u00a0<\/span>that\u2019s<\/span><\/i>\u00a0over.\u201d But, as I looked at the participants b<\/span>asking<\/span>\u00a0in the lights, I thought, \u201cNo, I\u2019m not.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After the show, family members found their loved ones,\u00a0<\/span>handed<\/span>\u00a0them flowers, and took pictures.\u00a0<\/span>One elderly father, in a wheelchair, posed next to his son, also in a wheelchair.\u00a0<\/span>With others, I saw several generations and family tree branches, parents, siblings, nieces<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0and nephews.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One lady, about 40, in a formal dress, sought me out. She spoke at quarter speed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just\u00a0<\/span>haaave<\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>meeet<\/span>\u00a0this\u00a0<\/span>yoooung<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>maaan<\/span>!\u201d She gently took my right hand and shook it softly. \u201cYou did\u00a0<\/span>suuuch<\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>goood<\/span>\u00a0job.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I smiled, embarrassed.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cThank you.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow did\u00a0<\/span>you<\/span>\u00a0re-mem-<\/span>ber<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>aaall<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>thooose<\/span>\u00a0words?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe practiced quite a bit.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Hooow<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>looong<\/span>\u00a0did it\u00a0<\/span>taaake<\/span>\u00a0you to learn\u00a0<\/span>aaall<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>thooose<\/span>\u00a0words?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbout a week.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust\u00a0<\/span>one<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span>weeek<\/span>?<\/span>!<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u00a0<\/span>dawned on me that she mistook me for one of the participants. I almost told her that I was on staff, but I let it go. She smiled and shook her head in disbelief.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWow. One week. That\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span>amaaazing<\/span>!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The next day Myrna hollered for me from her office.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I went<\/span>\u00a0in<\/span>. S<\/span>he had a phone pressed to her ear, with the mouthpiece under her chin.\u00a0<\/span>She held up a finger, mouthed \u201cJ<\/span>ust a minute<\/span>,\u201d<\/span>\u00a0then put the mouthpiece in front of her lips.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd here\u2019s so<\/span>meone you\u2019ll like to talk to.\u201d S<\/span>he handed the phone to me.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBob! It\u2019s Marie! Myrna said you filled in for me.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI did.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks. I was worried that the show couldn\u2019t go on without me.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell I didn\u2019t do as well as you could have, but we made it work.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wish I could\u2019ve been there.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0Marie. But you were here in spirit. We could feel it.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks. I miss you guys but I\u2019ve got to stay here for my treatments.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, you do what you\u2019ve got to do. We\u2019ll celebrate when you get back.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0I smiled, imagining a cast party\u00a0<\/span>upon<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>her<\/span>\u00a0return.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I said goodbye and handed the phone back to Myrna. Sitting in the chair, I realized Marie\u00a0<\/span>had\u00a0<\/span>spoke<\/span>n<\/span>\u00a0like a child who had been convinced by her family that everything was going to be OK<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that\u00a0<\/span>this was just a temporary struggle.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Myrna told Marie goodbye and hung up. She\u00a0<\/span>balled<\/span>\u00a0a fist in front of her mouth and looked away. Then she lowered her\u00a0<\/span>fist<\/span>. \u201cI spoke with her parents before I spoke with her. It\u2019s not good.\u201d She\u00a0<\/span>push<\/span>ed a few sharp breaths through her nose, then\u00a0<\/span>turned to me and\u00a0<\/span>said, \u201cYou can go back to your office.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I rose and walked through the doorway. Myrna spoke up. \u201cBob<\/span>.\u201d her voice cracked. She cleared her throat and tried again. \u201cBob,\u00a0<\/span>could you close the door on your way out? Thanks.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I started toward my office, but I wasn\u2019t in the mood to hear jokes from the guys. I altered my path and went into the bathroom, which had a small locker room. I<\/span>\u00a0sat<\/span>\u00a0on the bench in solitude.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I began to wonder who was the student. I taught them skills, but they were teaching me life. Ernie was teaching me that it\u2019s OK to show your feelings. Marie was teaching me bravery and grace. They were all teaching me that \u201cnormal\u201d society has some screwed-up definitions of success.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I came out of college thinking my education was over, but now I realized it had just begun.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It started as a need to do\u00a0<\/span>something<\/span><\/i>. After a while, I learned we hear our calling only when we listen.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While I\u2019m\u00a0<\/span>now\u00a0<\/span>in a different setting, I still work with special populations.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It became harder and harder to support a family on a nonprofit salary. After 11 years, I earned a degree in special education and sought a teaching position.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

W<\/span>hen I interviewed to become a teacher, the principal asked me about the hardest part of my job<\/span>\u00a0at the facility<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen they die.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He winced. I continued. \u201c<\/span>I get\u00a0<\/span>attached to them.<\/span>\u00a0I become like an uncle or dad to them. It\u2019s weird having parental-like authority over people double my age, but that\u2019s what it\u2019s like.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He nodded and looked downward.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut that\u2019s not entirely a bad thing<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I said<\/span>. \u201cJust a few generations ago, parents of people with disabilities would sometimes pray that their children would die before them, knowing they couldn\u2019t fend for themselves in the world. Maybe they would have been\u00a0<\/span>institutionalized and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>sit around doing nothing all day.\u00a0<\/span>But at places\u00a0<\/span>like\u00a0<\/span>where I work, they can have long, meaningful lives.\u00a0<\/span>There\u2019s still a long way to go for adult care, but it\u2019s a lot better than it was.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At school,\u00a0<\/span>I live in a world that measures success with<\/span>\u00a0near<\/span>ly<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>imperceptible victories. While our Darwinian society bemoans participation trophies,\u00a0<\/span>I see successes that cannot be rewarded with hunks of molded plastic.\u00a0<\/span>When a 15-year-old can read a second-grade text for the first time, that\u2019s a win. When a freshman can independently navigate the school by November, that\u2019s a win. When a student finally realizes that five dimes ha<\/span>ve<\/span>\u00a0the same value as two quarters, that\u2019s also a win.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And i<\/span>f anyone confuses me for someone with special needs, that\u2019s cool.\u00a0<\/span>They\u2019re my people<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bob Chikos\u00a0 Armed\u00a0with a degree in history,\u00a0I figured the State Department could use a guy like me.\u00a0 Eight months later, I still hadn\u2019t heard back from them \u2013 or anyone.\u00a0\u00a0 I needed to do\u00a0something.\u00a0\u00a0 I blanketed my county with applications, including\u00a0a\u00a0facility for adults with\u00a0intellectual\u00a0disabilities.\u00a0I applied for anything available. Within a few weeks, I had my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-67","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/14-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/67","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/14-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/14-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/14-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/14-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/14-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/67\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":267,"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/14-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/67\/revisions\/267"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/euphemism.illinoisstate.edu\/14-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}