Page 103 of The Sign for Home

Fuck me, I thought,I probably just made things worse for Shri.I was desperate to fix it.

“Sorry if I lost my cool, it’s just that we both obviously want what’s best for Shri. Look, I have an idea, you’re right. While I’m here, let me interpret a meeting between your staff and Shri? Then maybe the blowups will stop. That would be good, right?”

Durdona shook her head. “I’m sorry, sir. My staff really doesn’t have time right now. They’ve got meds to give out and bedtime to get started, and a mountain of other responsibilities. One of our older residents passed last night. Which means they have to disinfect the room, and I have to do even more paperwork, and I’m leaving in like forty minutes. I understand you’re concerned about your sister-in-law, but we really are doing our best. If you ask me, the problems we have with Shri are more due to the fact that your family is barely in the picture. The audacity you have, showing up out of nowhere, blaming us forherbehavior problems and then trying to accuse us of not following the ADA? I have an idea. On your way out you can use your translating-interpreting skills to tell Shri to stop being a little monster. Okay? Now, as I said, I have a pile of paperwork so…”

Just as Durdona was closing the door in my face, two very loud crashes came from down the hall. Durdona’s eyes widened and her sculpted eyebrows contorted themselves like rageful minks as she pushed past me, running as fast as her high heels could take her. I followed. A second later came another crash, followed by the sound of Snap barking furiously, and then what I assumed was Shri’s horrific guttural scream echoing through the building. Pulling the walkie-talkie from her belt, Durdona yelled for the orderlies to go to “Mukherjee’s room.” I imagined Arlo being physically injured. I imagined blood. I imagined an emergency room, and me having to explain it all to Brother Birch.

But as we turned the corner to where Shri’s room was located, we could see it wasn’t Shri who was throwing a fit. It was Arlo. There he was, standing in the middle of the hallway, his face a mask of fury, groaning loudly, throwing punches in the air. He had just turned over the housekeeper’s yellow supply caddy, covering the floor with trash, dirty mop water, and cleaning supplies. Furious tears rolled down his cheeks. Snap barked and scratched at Arlo’s leg, trying to calm him down.

“Not fair! Not fair!” Arlo vocalized as he signed violently to anyone who might be around. “Where boss? Tell me where boss! Nursing home terrible! Shri suffering! Where boss!”

It was the first time I had heard Arlo vocalize full sentences. It was not the voice I had imagined for him. It was a primal, barely intelligible, heartbroken voice. I ran to Arlo and pushed my name quickly into his hands.

“It’s okay. Calm down, it’s gonna be all right. You’re frightening Snap. Tell me what’s wrong.”

Three other staff members ran up beside Durdona, including Bella, all staring at Arlo like he was some kind of monster.

“What is he doing?” Durdona screamed at me. “And that dog should not be in here at all! It’s time for you all to leave!”

I interpreted what Durdona had said, but Arlo ignored me and continued to rage.

“They hurt Shri! Punish her how? They not give food! Only drink milk shake! All the time, Shri stuck in bed! Have sores on backside. Bleeding. Family stop visiting. No interpreter come. They not follow ADA law! Not fair!”

“Easy. Easy,” I signed to him, tapping his shoulder in the Protactile gesture forunderstanding. “The boss is right here, looking at us. She’s very angry. Calmly tell her what you just told me, and then we definitely need to leave.”

“Can’t leave! Shri needs our help!”

“We can talk later,” I begged. “Right now, try not to freak out any more or they’ll never let you visit again. Just say what you want to say, and we’ll say goodbye to Shri. But try and stay calm.”

Arlo asked me to turn his body toward Durdona andjust interpret. He repeated what he had said to me forcefully but more calmly than probably I would have been able to if I were in his shoes. As I voiced, I tried to make sure my own anger toward the situation did not infiltrate the tone. When Arlo finished, I added, “This is me, the interpreter, talking now. Look, we’re sorry for the outburst. But Arlo is right. You are in violation of the ADA all over the place here. But we’re happy to help you make it better. Like I said, I can interpret a conversation with Shri right now. Trust me, it will help. We all want to be heard, right?”

Durdona raised her hand to my face, indicating she had heard enough. Suddenly her eyes turned into angry slits.

“You just called this man ‘Arlo’?” Durdona said, her eyes narrow. She turned to Bella. “I didn’t see that name in the log. The aunt gave these two permission to visit, right?”

Bella, looking guilty, started explaining what I had told her about it being Arlo’s birthday. Durdona scolded Bella about following rules.Snap barked and took a step toward Durdona, who jumped back with a scream.

“Snap! Down!” I commanded. “Look, sorry, I mean… Okay. We aren’t Shri’s family, but Arlo is like family to Shri.”

Durdona pointed to the front of the building.

“Out. Now.”

“Please, just let Arlo say goodbye to Shri,” I pleaded.

Durdona told two large male staff to show us the door. When I described this to Arlo, he planted his legs, refusing to move.

“They need promise bring interpreter!” he cried. “They need promise give better food! Give wheelchair back! Must get doctor help Shri! They must respect! Tell them!”

Before I could interpret anything more, one of the bruisers grabbed Arlo’s arms, causing Snap to leap toward the attendant, growling. Releasing Arlo, the attendant kicked Snap, shouting that she had bitten him. (She hadn’t.) Durdona pulled out her cell phone like it was a gun.

“That does it! I’m calling the police!”

“Look, we’re sorry. Can you please just take it easy? Snap wouldn’t hurt a fly. Look at her. And Arlo just didn’t know Shri was in this condition. He’s DeafBlind, for chrissakes. Can we all just calm down!”

Durdona motioned for the two male aides to get Arlo, who was headed back into Shri’s room. Snap growled angrily again. I threw my body between Arlo and the attendants. Meanwhile, I heard a scream coming from behind me in Shri’s room. Shri had seen the attendants grabbing for Arlo. I quickly turned to look. It was the first time I actually saw Shri’s face. While she was clearly frail-looking, with a sickly crust around her mouth from dehydration, her wild black eyes were fierce and beautiful. I quickly signed that I was Arlo’s friend. Then, when one of the attendants pushed me out of the way to get to Arlo, Shri threw a plastic water bottle, hitting the attendant on the head with perfect aim.

“Stop it! Stop it!” she signed. “Don’t touch!”

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