What do you do when your child can learn to read faster than she should? How do you handle the answer when she tells you the truth, as they always seem to do? For Charlotte’s parents, that job is a little tougher
Charlotte grew up in a sleepy little town, south of Worcester, MA. There wasn’t much there since the factory closed in town. There were a few roads leading into town, and a few roads leading out of town, Route 495 was nearby, but the main business was around the commuter rail stop in town. The restaurant businesses survive off the people heading home from Boston, with the lots a few blocks from the station, it isn’t hard to draw a few in for a drink, or dinner, before slogging the rest of the way to their own home, out of town. This suited the Spellmanns just fine. Small town, less crime, but big enough to have its own Walmart nearby.
Louise had a feeling something was special about Charlotte. She knew how to read since before she was able to walk. David would read the newspaper with her on his lap. While she sat there, he would notice that her head and eyes would track across the page.
“Look honey, she is trying to read, just like her dad,” Dave said. As he went to turn the page, Charlotte grabbed the page and pulled it back.
“Not done!” She looked up at him, and he got the distinct and uncomfortable feeling that she was telling him she was still reading. When he let go, she turned back to the newspaper and continued to go back to the article about the new playground being built in town.
“I don’t think she is faking it, dear,” said Louise. “She did the same to me when I was reading my magazine. Thankfully, I had already gotten past the article about how to spice up your love life!” She laughed. “I really think there is something special about her. I just don’t know if she understands everything yet.”
“She just told me that she was not done with the article she was reading and turned the page back.”
“She can’t speak yet, what do you mean, ‘she told you’?”
“She didn’t say it, but when I looked down at her, she looked back up at me, and I got the feeling that she was in my head, telling me she was still reading,” replied David. He still sounded a little distracted, like he had too many thoughts go through his head at the same time. He was not sure exactly what happened, but it felt like a toddler had taken control of his thoughts and jumbled them all up. It took a few minutes for that feeling to wear off.
“What is she doing now?” said Louise, “Is she still reading?”
“She is looking at you and me, as we talk.” His voice dropped to a whisper, “I think she is paying attention, more than just the fact that we are talking, but that she knows it’s about her.”
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