I was on a women's retreat with some fun ladies from church, the theme (if there was one - this was not a highly structured affair) being Weenie Dave Ache Asian... we need a vacation.
Our hostess pulled out a game - Mad Gabs - that had given them the inspiration for the name. Have you seen this? The whole game is cards, with words printed on them, and you have to guess what they say.
Um... it's not immediately obvious.
For instance, Wide Hidden Chews Haze Hoe
Go ahead. Say it out loud. Faster. Run your words together.
Wididdenchewsazo.
Why didn't you say so?
We ran through a few.
Hen Deep Hen Danced Hay
Up Racked Hick Gulch Oak
Elects Hand Earthly Crate
Oak And A Duh
I was getting them. I was enjoying them. Then it hit me.
Welcome to Tate's World.
Sometimes it's close, and he doesn't know he's mis-heard so he just goes with it, and then nothing after that makes sense. And we have to back up, and figure out what he heard, and what was actually said, and then go forward again.
What really amazes me is how often he gets it RIGHT.
How often he figures out that Hen Deep Hen Danced Hay is a national holiday, with fireworks.
That Up Racked Hick Gulch Oak is funny... if you're not the 'victim'.
That Elects Hand Earthly Crate conquered the Gordian Knot.
And that Oak And A Duh is that national anthem we kept hearing when we watched the Whole Imp Pig Aims.
Because, really, the kid is brilliant. And he has a great sense of humor. We can all laugh kindly together with him when he gets it wrong. Because it happens.
Because Evan Leaf Otter is not a native American name for God.
9 comments:
What great insight, Julie. And kind of cool that you got to experience a bit of what he goes through and be able to understand even more.
Those "what did I say?" phrases were great! HoHearies are usually pretty good at guessing RIGHT. Not so much at Tate's age. You are right... he's a smart cookie to put it together so young.
Love fest poet!
(I mean... Loved this post!)
Denise
That is a great game, and it really does give a lot of insight to what our little guys have to put together!
I feel like I play Mad Gabs a lot... Matt and Nolan were in the backseat talking about bajums and mesin. 20 minutes later I figured out they were saying, "bad germs" and "medicine." Oy!
One of my ESL sons (not familiar enough with a lot of vocabulary, so gets things wrong - a lot) wanted to know why I was making HAND CUFFS to take to a friends for dessert. It took me a minute to figure out he had misheard (and didn't know about) CREAM PUFFS!
It really is amazing what people with any sort of hearing loss can put together. How fabulous that you have a little more understanding, and that you can all laugh WITH each other.
Interesting indeed! I think I would stink badly at the game. Tate is brilliant! If that is anything like how he hears things, he has overcome a lot!
By the way, I do really like Oak And a Duh. It's a great song ;o)!
Blessings!
Deborah
Deborah -
I had you in mind!
My daughter isn't finding the humor in it yet. I think she's still a little peeved about the Ghost Busters song. She thought it was ghost MUSTARD.
Hearing with hearing aids just isn't perfect.
Fortunately, Tate has a solid sense of humor, but I've gone to great lengths to make sure he's okay about the "laughing WITH you, not AT you."
Oh, we love Mad Gab. And great tie-in with your boy -- never thought of that before, how frustrating it must be to hear everything all muddled up like that.
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