Heartbeat

She found herself sitting on a cold metal stool in front of the scary big man in the white coat who very often wielded weaponry involving needles and tiny knee hammers.

When her mother was talking to this man, the seven-year-old’s mind wandered to teddy bears, candy and puppies and a general wonderment of everything. And then, all she could think of is what the doctor was trying to check when he held her wrist looking at his watch. She had just learnt how to read time on her toy watch which had dolphins for hands.

After a few failed attempts to simultaneously look at both her watch and place her dainty index and middle finger on her wrist, she decided to conquer her tasks one by one.

So she placed her fingers on the left side of her right wrist. She was perplexed by the lack of fruitfulness of this strange endeavor. The doctor who happened to have notice this struggle, came closer. The little girl ever so slightly blushed with embarrassment.

“I see we have a little doctor here”, he gently took her hand and placed it on there right side of her wrist.

“You feel that?”

She looked at her mom and nodded with excitement.

“That there is your pulse, it shows how fast your little heart is beating.”

She looked at her mom again and saw the doctor with sheer joy. For that was the closest thing to sound she has experienced. She has to depend on her mother for translating everything into sign language.

But this, this showed her that it is not always quiet. She can always hear her heartbeat.