High Five Duncan

Duncan froze, too scared to accept his certificate–or perhaps his feet were nailed to the stage stairs.

Presentation Days are an inside affair, but Duncan preferred the outdoors. He reminded me of a white-skivvied ‘Wiggle’ as daily he aided the General Assistant. Together they toiled through a host of school chores.

Bright-eyed but shy, he would greet acquaintances with a robust ‘high five’. Today, however, the packed assembly hall represented unfamiliar territory–a daunting experience for the young man.

It had been an epic journey. Intellectually handicapped, Duncan had not experienced the smoothest transition from the junior classes to the senior ranks. Nonetheless, caring staff members had prepared him for this gathering.

The pupils in our Support Group, of which Duncan was a member, represented an essential part of the school. They joined the student body for recess, lunch and assemblies. Athletics and swimming carnivals were included in their favourite activities. The presence of these teenagers encouraged a community of understanding and acceptance. We considered ourselves fortunate.

Today though, Duncan and his colleagues in the academic stream would be presented with their Year 12 Certificates. Dignitaries, teaching staff, fellow students, parents and friends filled the hall on this auspicious occasion. But Duncan’s runners were riveted to the highest tread.

Conscious of his hesitation, I read his name slowly. How could his anxiety be alleviated? With only a second to act, I shuffled around the lectern, stepped forward, and raised my hand. Duncan’s face lit up like a surprised contestant who had just won a ten kilogram advantage at the ‘Biggest Loser’ weigh-in.

Jumping onto the stage, he gave me a ‘High Five’ I will never forget. Classmates cheered. The audience clapped. His mum cried.

And Duncan, displaying the true grit of John Wayne and Jeff Bridges combined, accepted his certificate.

“It is not our disability that is the problem, but rather it is the way our disabilities are viewed by others.” Drexel Deal – American, Member of the Disabled Persons Organization.

Notes:

• A Skivvy is a name used in the United States and Australasia for a turtle-necked top.
• The Wiggles are an Australian children’s music group. They are known, among other things, for their brightly coloured skivvies.
• The Biggest Loser is a reality television show in which overweight contestants attempt to lose weight.
• ‘True Grit’ is the title of two movies, each of which is an adaption of the Charles Portis 1968 novel of the same name. The first movie, from 1969, starred John Wayne and the second, released in 2010, saw Jeff Bridges in the lead role.

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