National Adult Literacy Database

March 11, 2002

This week, we are launching five stories written by students from Midland, Ontario. You can read some of their stories as well as hear them, with the audio player.

These students are all enrolled at the Midland Area Reading Council (MARC) . This year, MARC is celebrating its 20th anniversary. It is a community-based literacy program, doing mostly one-to-one tutoring, and some small group teaching as well as computer courses. MARC serves mainly Basic level students 1 & 2.

The following story was written by Norbert Duquette. Norbert is enrolled in literacy classes at Midland Area Reading Council. He invites everyone to read his two stories.

 

Letters & Words

by Norbert Duquette

As I lay there lifeless in the bottom of letters and words I have no name, or dreams, or life but I'm alive, I open my eyes and there they are letters, words floating above me, different shapes and sizes unknown to me as I open my mouth no sound, no voice. A tear trickling down my face. Amongst the confusion in my mind I grasp for a shape floating by me, trying to understand the meaning of the shape, a sound emerged from my lifeless body. A sound gave me life and hope. I clinched it like a life jacket and never let go, another floated by I had a hand full of letters that had sound. But no words. Slowly I floated a little from the bottom of letters & words. Then the lifeless body came alive. As I placed them on my chest a word appeared from that first word I heard a word it gave my a name that name was Norbert when I mixed another word, another word appeared as I slowly understood the meaning of words I floated to the top of words, I set myself free, like a new born child a joy of new life.