His name is Donald, but we call him Donny. In fact, we call him Unkie Donny. That is our nickname for him.
Unkie Donny lives with us. He is like 40 years old, but he is more like a little boy, perhaps my little brother. See, Unkie Donny is not like most adults. He was born with Down syndrome.
Because of his having DS, he is mentally handicapped. He also has slanted eyes like a China man's, a snubby, puggy nose, stubby fingers and toes, a thick tongue, small ears, fine hair that is flyaway and hard to control, and heart problems. He's had several heart operations and has been in and out of the hospital. He gets sick so easily.
Yet despite his problems, Unkie Donny is a very happy soul. He loves life and life loves him back. He loves to play with us kids (hide-and-seek is a favorite game of his), draw pictures, look at picture books, watch tv (his favorite show is SpongeBob Squarepants), and go to church every Saturday (we're Catholic).
Nothing ever bothers him, even when he is sick. He gets sad if he is sick or in the hospital, but we do our best to try to cheer him up. If he isn't bad off, I can see Unkie Donny, which is always a treat, as is eating in the hospital cafeteria. They have very good food there.
When he is well, Unkie Donny makes life fun. People always seem to gravitate towards him because he is so happy go lucky, but sometimes mean people do stare or make fun of him, which makes me mad. I am always telling these bad people to stop or I am going to beat 'em up.
Well, I hope you liked my story about my uncle. He is certainly special and our lives are better because OF him!
The familiar lament of dual-career parents raising children is, "I just can't do it all." The Libra Solution provides an alternative - a more satisfying and sustainable work and life approach - to the overwrought modern day norm.
Let this coming of age story of a boy named Bean take you back to a simple time. Set in a small southern town in the 1960's, encircled by a river and gleaming white cotton fields.
I love my uncle.
