Seeing the boy within
Sept. 25, 2011
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that some of our best stories have something to do with church. Nathan is as well known there as most everyplace we go. Watching Nathan’s success brings smiles to many people’s face just for doing what he does, knowing how far he’s come and what he’s overcome.
This morning, we had the chance to talk to a husband and wife who were on our softball team that we hadn’t seen for several weeks. I was excited to see them (and their young son) and they seemed happy to see us to let us know that they saw our picture at Meijer. We didn’t get many details. All they could tell us is that it was in a glass case and it was a picture of Nathan, me and Brutus Buckeye.
It wasn’t a complete shock to us, as three years ago (this weekend) we saw a flyer that the OSU cheerleaders were going to be at the store, and we wanted to try to get a photo with Nathan and Brutus like we had in Westerville the year before. Employees from the store asked if they could also take pictures as well, and we did not object.
Unlike the year before, Nathan had grown to fear grown people in mascot outfits and was very leery of this Brutus guy. It was a golden opportunity as there were few others, giving us multiple shots, several chances to get one without a feared look on his face. The best we could do was to have me in the shot as well. If Nathan was still on my knee, there weren’t too many smiles, but the screaming stopped. As far as we knew that was the end of the story, until today.
All three of us went to the store this afternoon, and we looked around and couldn’t find it. We looked in the entrances, around the service desk, even back in the OSU clothing section. We somewhat gave up and did the shopping we also went there for.
We walked through several aisles, and saw another family from our church. The mom was someone who had looked after Nathan when he was in the nursery last year. We told her the story about how Nathan’s photo was supposed to be somewhere in the store, and her younger daughter (probably around 5-6) said, “I know, I saw it too.”
We were a little shocked that she could see it when we couldn’t. She told us it was on a card back in the photo lab. We meandered to the far corner of the store, where the mother and daughter had made it back first. We started to look around when the mom asked the daughter to show us where it was. The girl led us to the case where they had several “customizable” items, where they had used their own pictures to promote different items. The photo was on the inside and probably only about 4 inches wide by 2 1/2 inches tall. I know I would have missed it, but at least two others we know recognized it on their own.
We were most impressed by the girl though. Nathan wasn’t even 3 yet, and she still recognized him. Many would think, it was probably the bib, the braces or the walker gave him away, but none were in the shot.
It was just a little boy with his dad and Brutus. With a Buckeye jersey, silver bead necklace, jean shorts and sneakers on. I too donned OSU attire, but for a brief moment, we looked like a “normal” family, doing “normal” things that all crazed Buckeye fans do.
The moment gave me hope that others (at least some) see Nathan as a kid and not just a special-needs kid. The notion that others really see his smile first, and not what you see once you get past the other equipment, braces, and drooling.
Many people are uncomfortable when first seeing us. They’re not sure if they should/could talk about Nathan. Can they look at Nathan without others accusing them of staring. It took some getting used to from our end, but we’d rather talk about it than have others make their own assumptions, judgments, etc.
Like Nathan, Brutus never talks. Both have growing fan bases and both bring smiles and joy to others (except to Nathan.) We celebrate the victories of each, and lament in their defeat. Both know how to bounce back and learn from their mistakes. Very few people know that man behind Brutus’ big head, but it’s a blessing to know many people know the person Nathan really is. We’re not asking Meijer for royalties off the photo, but we sometimes wonder if they know the rock-star they have in the making.
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