This my sister, Mary, safe and sound.

Hi! Happy Friday.

Today, I go to work. But before I go to work, I like to tell you bout last night. My sister did come over for dinner. My mom is cooking. DE-licious eggplant casserole, and me and my sister SO hungry. It is so good, my mom is a wonderful cook.
I pass the pepper to my sister. Have to look, is it S or P on top. I tell my sister, “Mary, Jos is gone on business trip, I like it you eat with us every night. My mom is cook for you, and you work so hard, and you not have to cook.” My sister likes that.
Then I think about it a lot. Mom and Mary talking about a lot of things, I not like to rupt. Then, alla get quiet, I tell my sister, “Mary, Jos is gone on business trip, right? Well! I got a great idea. How bout, on you anniversary, and you so lonely, I take you and my mom, going OUT to dinner, and then, we see a good, good movie! You like that?”
My sister say, “Aw, Billy, that’s a nice idea! What movie you like to see, my anniversary?”
I tell my sister, “Green Lantern.”
My sister and my mom laughing so hard. But I like Green Lantern.
My mom say, “That Green Lantern is CUTE.”
I did see that on Regis and Kelley.
Then I did clear the table. My mom and my sister got to put that new sprinkler outside, water the flowers outside. Because we got not rain, just dry inna bone. That sprinkle go round and round and my sister get all wet. But my mom is laughing so hard. And it’s funny.
And then, my sister ready to go home. I tell my sister, “Mary, Jos is gone on business, right? Well, I got a good idea. How bout I walk you home, you not be lonely. You like that? OK, I go to put on my tennis shoes. You wait for me.”
My sister walk with me to her house. Sometimes, inna corner, my sister go up the hill and I go back to my house, see my mom. But not now, because I need to take care of my sister. So I go all the way. My sister likes that.
My sister say, “Bye, Billy, I like it you walk me home.” She wave. But I not go yet. I got to wait. Mary open that door, and she wave at me again. Mary tell me, “Billy, you take good care of me. Thank you.”
I tell my sister, “I do Mary, cuz I love you. Mary, you gotta problem? ANYTHING. You call me. I take kevvadit. I not like you be lonely. You call me. I call you I get home, you not worry. OK? I hope you gotta good night sleep. Bye!”
But I not go yet. I wait, my sister lock that door. Cuz I love her. And now my sister safe and sound. I like that. I am good to my sister. Cuz I love her.

Billy Schulz Shovels Snow for His Mother

The bad weather we have had recently requires determination and courage and extra hard work for many of us. Billy’s service to me inspired his sister, Mary de Wit, to compose this poem for us.

My Brother’s Courage

My brother’s courage grips my heart these ways:
He concentrates on lacing tight his boots,
Assembles hat and gloves and arctic suit,
And with resolve, he steps into the haze.
His mission is to fetch the frozen news,
(This, after warming Mother’s shoulder pad,
Insuring she her phone and coffee had.)
He, cautiously, his icy way pursues.
His life is full of fear. Afraid to fall
On snow — or tumbling from a vista deck—
Offending, being dumb, bouncing a check…
Still every day he faces: smiling, tall.
From his perspective he might call us this:
Retarded, learning slowly who he is.

© 2011 Mary de Wit