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Mikey sat next to his brother in front of the principals office.Although they only were here because Gerard needed to sign a few papers to get access to the schools library and computers, Mikey felt like he was back in highschool. – Waiting to get a good fucking scolding for skipping P.E. and getting caught smoking pot under the bleachers again. He shuddered.
„You ok?“ Gerard asked quietly, looking slightly concerned. Man, even now he couldn´t get anything past his big brother.
„Yeah, I just zoomed out for a bit and rememberd the wrath of principal Perkins for being the reason he got an ulcer.“
The corner of Gerards mouth liftet to form his trademark crooked smile. He was about to say something, when suddenly the principals door burst open and a sobbing boy, maybe eight or nine years old, bashed through, a red faced woman with a folded up white cane in her hands hot on his heels.
The boy stumbled down the hall until his shoulder collided with the edge of a locker. He rose his right arm to feel what the obstacle in his way was. One more sob escaped his throat and then the boy slid to the floor.
„Liam, baby, please calm down.“ the woman said soothingly and tried to embrace the kid. The kid pushed her away and stated angrily: „Mom, I´m not a baby!!! And colors will never ever be my friends, no matter what Mr. Gibbs says!“
„Shhhh, Liam, we will find a way for you to understand what colours are. I promise.“ the boys mother mumbled, the tears in her eyes threatening to spill.
„No, Mom, forget it.“ the boy sniffled. „I know the sun is yellow and the sky is blue. But guess what, I can´t touch the sky or the sun. When you or the teachers explain a color, you always describe it with other colors or things I will never see. I won´t get it. So stop. Please stop. I´ll never know about yellow and red and brown. I´ll always be blind.“ The last part of what the little blind boy said, was barely audible.
„Yellow tastes like mustard and is soft like the feathers of young chickens.“
„What?“ The boy was clearly baffled by Gerards quiet statement.
Mikey was so engaged in watching the scene before him unfold, that he had not registered that Gerard got up and and was now cautiously making his way towards the boy and his mother.
„Yellow tastes like mustard and is soft like the feathers of young chickens.“ Gerard repeated. „Have you ever touched a young bird, Liam?“
„Yes! My Grandma has a farm and sometimes there are little chickens! Their feathers are really soft and warm and they tickle my nose when I try to smell them!“ the boy crowed, the tears and his earlier outburst suddenly forgotten.
„Well, thats what yellow feels like. Warm and soft and kinda ticklish“ Gerard smiled. „So you already know everything important about yellow, you just didn´t know it was yellow, when you touched the little bird.“
The boy was clearly in awe as he was thinking through what Gerard just said. „What about red?“ he then asked, eager to hear more.
Gerard hummed and sat down on the floor beside the boy indian style. „Red…. Red is sweet like a strawberry and juicy like a watermelon.“
„So red tastes like mature fruit?“ Liam reassured. „Yeah. Exactly. But you can also feel the color. Red hurts, when it oozes out of your grazed knee. It´s the heat you feel rising in your in your belly and moving up your throat when you are really, really angry. But red isn´t all about bad stuff.“ Gerard hesitated for a moment. „When you are truly happy and you feel like hugging somebody you love, you feel red too. Do you know what I mean?“
Liams face scrunched up in concentration. Finally a broad smile appeared. „My Dad always says ‚I´m seeing red’ when I make him really angry and my best friend told me his brother draws red hearts everywhere since he has a crush on a girl in his class. - So red is all about powerful feelings, am I right?
Now it was Gerards turn to grin. „You´re incredibly quick, you know that?“ Liam grinned even harder. „Yeah, you got it right. Red is all about power in general. I´d like to think every beings lifeforce is bright red.“
„Huh, now ‚May the force be with you’ even makes more sense to me.“ Liam deadpanned and Gerard laughed that loud honky laugh, which Mikey had missed for so long.
„Mister, can I ask you about another colour?“ the boy asked almost shyly after his previous sassy comment.
„Oh, please don´t call me mister. It makes me feel old! I´m Gerard, but most of my friends call me Gee.“ Gerard shot back immediately. „And sure, shoot your question!“
„Gerard,“ the boy hesitated for a moment, „What do you know about black? Everybody tells me black ist he colour I see all the time. But people also say that I see nothing. So what is black really?“
Mikey was surprised by the question. The colour black seemed so trivial. When you close your eyes everything is dark, black. But how could you describe the absence colour to a kid who had never seen the tiniest spark of light? Words like ‚danger’, ‚fear’ and ‚sadness’ came to Mikeys mind. He felt hist chest tighten in fearful anticipation of what Gerard would answer.
A series of emotions flickered over Gerards face. When Gerard finally answered, Mikey was stunned, because nothing could have prepared him for what his brother said:
„The colour black for sure isn´t nothing. She is the queen of colours. Black is soft like silk when your mother hugs you and her hair covers your face and you feel all safe. Black is being at home.“
Mikey was moved deeply. He felt the urge to march up to his brother and embrace him as tight as he could. His intentions were beaten by Liams mother. She flung herself at Gerard and hugged him tightly. Again tears were streaming down her face.
Gerard was startled for a moment but hugged her back a moment later. When she released Gerard, she said earnestly: „I don´t know how to thank you for what you did for Liam. Thank you so, so much. Should you ever need something, please don´t hesitate to call me. I´ll give you my number. I owe you.“
„ You are welcome. And you don´t owe me anything. I only answered a few questions, which were quite important to Liam.“ Gerard said politely.
„But….“
„Mom!!!“ Liam interrupted his mother. „You are so embarassing! I´d like to thank Gerard myself!“ With that said, Liam turned his face in Gerards direction. „You know what, Gee? I always thought colours and I won´t mix, that I´d never grasp what they are. But you showed me that I don´t need to see them. I can smell, tast, feel and hear them. And I think I like them all, even though I don´t know them all yet.“
„Yet.“ Gerard smiled. „Maybe, if it´s ok with your mum, we can meet again and I´ll tell you about the rest of them.“
„Really?“ Liam cried out enthusiatically.
„Mum, can I meet Gerard again? Please???“
„Sure, honey.“ the boys mother smiled.
„Thank you, Gee“ Liam offered.
He reached out tentatively until his hand brushed Gerards arm. He felt downwards until he hit Gerards hand and shook it formally until Gerard pulled the boy into a hug.
„Anytime“ Gerad mumbled softly into the boys ear, before he released him.
„Here is my phone number. Please give us a call whenever you feel like coming over to our place. My name is Sarah, by the way.“ Liams mother said and held out a piece of paper on which she had scribbled her number, while her son was thanking Gerard.
Gerard reached out. Awkwardly so. He wasn´t looking at the piece of paper or the young woman. Mikey could tell the moment she realized something was off. Gerards arm remained hovering. Mouth dropping to her knees, she stared at Gerard for a moment.
„Sorry!“
Snapping to it, she brushed the little piece of paper between Gerards middle and index finger.
„Thanks. I´ll see you both soon.“ Gerard replied, a genuine smile plastered on his face.
And with that he stood up, extended his white cane, which had been stashed away in his messenger bag, and tapped his way to the now open door of principals office.