You Are A Loud

This is from The World of Special Olympics.

It’s about the bravery of a courageous Special Olympics athlete, the late Daniel Thompson.

Years ago, Daniel wrote to me

about an incident he experienced in West Virginia.

He and a friend who was blind

went to a small diner to get a hot dog.

The manager tried to turn them both away

because of his friend’s guide dog.

Daniel didn’t miss a beat when told to leave:

“I talked up loud,” he wrote,

“and said this dog is named Muffin

and is a working guide dog

and is a loud under the 1988 ADA

and if you say it’s not aloud,

I’ll go to the federal court house and tell them.”

Daniel’s spelling was perfect in my view.

He was right to say he was “a loud.”

He was brave to say it without fear or intimidation.

Wish you and I had met Daniel.  Maybe we’ll meet somebody like Daniel and his friend today.