Wisdom from the deaf and dumb

Met a guy called Freddie in Cali today, and although we had dinner separately afterwards, we met up at Han's in the Great Eastern building to have drinks and chat of a different nature.

You see, Freddie can neither speak nor hear, being profoundly deaf.


We shared and exchanged quirky encounters, travel stories and life experiences by writing on a medium-sized notebook that he carries around.

We had covered seven pages by the time we had finished our Avocado Smoothie and Ice Horlicks respectively.

And on the train heading west, Freddie shared his horrific slipping accident(where he broke his ulna bone and had to lay off religious gymming for six months) while I shared my equally horrific and considerably more traumatic upper lip-splitting bicycle accident with him.


Apparently, his fracture occured at the same time my relationship with Robin was breaking up, and his grandmother also passed away this year.

Also, we had periods of suicidal thoughts this year.

However, his smiling optimism gives me hope to carry on and stave off suicide.