6th Grade Essay Winner

A Friend from Another World

By Ben Raygor

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a different world? Well, I have a friend who lives in a different kind of world. He lives in a world that has no sound at all. My friend’s name is Harry, and he is deaf. Being a friend with someone who cannot hear is interesting all by itself, buy most of all, I want to let you know about some of the fun things about Harry that make him a good friend.

Harry is an elderly gentleman who lived with my family and me from the time that I was a baby until just two years ago. Altogether, I have known Harry for about twelve years. Harry has brown hair, wears glasses, and likes to wear casual clothes. His favorite things to wear are shirts with the name of a town he went to or a place that he had lived, because that gives him something to tell people about.

I think Harry has a perfect personality. He is one of the friendliest and happiest people I know. He loves to be around people and do things with people. When he lived with my family, he enjoyed going to other families’ homes to visit wand he especially liked going to church because there were a lot of people he knew there. Even though he can’t hear what everybody is talking about, he likes to watch people, help people, and share his stories with people by showing pictures and writing down names and dates. Harry also likes to help people. When he was younger (in his seventies), he helped by mowing lawns, vacuuming, and sometimes fixing things. Another thing about Harry’s personality is that he is always thankful. Whenever somebody gives him something, he always says "Thank You". He is even thankful for foods that nobody else wants to eat!

Harry and I did a lot of things together. We really enjoyed playing games like matching games, cards, dominoes, and drawing. We also liked to watch action type movies. We mainly watched old "Western" movies and movies with funny acting. Often when I was playing with cars, Harry would come and play with me. Harry especially liked Ford trucks and old cars. We also looked at books or magazines with lots of pictures in them. He liked to also show me pictures of his life and family.

Harry hardly knows any sign language, so we have had to find other ways to communicate. Some of the ways that we communicate are: speaking slowly so he could read my lips, using hand gestures or signals that make sense to him, pointing to things, and drawing pictures for him. Taps on the shoulder, shaking hands, and hugs are all important ways of letting Harry know that I like his as a friend. One thing I wish I could do for Harry is to teach him to read. Then he could read books and newspapers, write letters, learn how to do new things, and even write me about his feelings.

Today, Harry lives at the Ostrander Nursing Home in southern Minnesota. He just had his eightieth birthday in February. He has broken his hip, so is not able to get around as much as he used to. I miss being able to see Harry every day, but I am glad that he is getting good care and is always happy to see me when I visit. I am impressed with Harry because he chooses to always be happy and thankful. That is what makes him an "out of this world," cool guy.