That Little Voice

“Will you help me with my English?”, the 13-year-old Mexican youth asked.

And, of course, I quickly said ‘sure.’

Now I know better than to help anyone with anything, especially a child needing assistance with language. But reality didn’t sink in until he had left, smiling, and I had time to think ‘what have I just done?’ I know English but no Spanish, and he knows Spanish and a little bit of English.

What was I thinking, or why was I not thinking? Teaching has never been a skill I have possessed or even wanted to learn, and here I was volunteering to offer my non-existent expertise to a trusting youngster. He had no idea what a mistake or more accurately ‘disaster’, this request was going to be if left in my hands.

I stumbled around for a couple of days attempting to manufacture an explanation that would not point out my total lack of competence, and truth be told, my lack of interest, in guiding him through a foreign language endeavor.

But, I couldn’t abandon this darling boy who was going to take an English test soon, and who walks my two dogs once a week, could I?

As I lamented my situation to a friend, she raised her hand as if in a classroom, and said with enthusiasm, “I can do that!”

I stared at her for any sign of jest, but she sincerely wanted to take the plunge into teacherhood. Afterall, she had been a school librarian, was adept at dealing with children, and knew how to find English lessons on the Internet. I would never have thought of doing that!

We spent the next several weeks, I’m using the term ‘we’ very loosely, exposing the kid to verbs, adverbs, adjectives, and special phrases he may never use in English. But she was determined, and he had a translation app on his phone, so they were able to communicate, at least, some.

The holidays ended, she returned to the states, and he went back to school. My job as an assistant English tutor was called to a halt. Emilio had the good sense not to ask for further help after witnessing my obvious lack of talent in this field…thank goodness for both of us.

However, he did stop by this week and his English was great, or at least what I could hear of it. Deafness keeps hindering my ability to make out exactly what is being said, when the English is spoken with a Spanish accent.

There is hope he will pass the English test, thanks to my friend’s effort, and my donations of bottled drinks and M&Ms.

My contributions to the cause were rewarded. I gained five pounds watching the two of them work on translations while I ate candy and drank iced tea.

Volunteering is such a wonderful thing, and very fattening.