Her Broken English

Abstract

Her Broken English Melissa Akie Wiley (bio) Grandma said, “Mr. and Mrs. Wrench live next door.” When I learned to read, I noted the white letters on their mailbox. L-Y-N-C-H Broken English. The term used for the Japanese American accent. And that’s how I saw her then. Broken, embarrassing, simple. “My glass is perspiration from the heat,” she said. “I think you mean condensation,” I said. “No tell me what I mean,” she snapped. In the morning, she took the night’s soaked-rice pot to the backyard and dumped the loosened grains. Then she stretched her arms toward the sun. Her daily rejoicing ritual. To the wonderment of God. Before Buddhism captivated America. Before yoga pants and high-end sushi restaurants signaled the country’s wealthiest white enclaves. I asked her to read to me. “I don’t speak English very well,” she said. Then she turned silent. I apologized. Disconnection from her felt unbearable. [End Page 89] I knew every crack in her dried fingernails, her wispy hair, her wide feet. Our time together long enough to memorize her physicality. But not long enough to know her. “You’re the best person I’ve ever known,” she said and pressed her forehead to mine. Did I love her as much as she loved me? I corrected her. I cowered in embarrassment. I look for her now. I dip my hands into a soaked-rice pot. I rejoice at the morning sky. To have been loved by her. To the wonderment of her God. I want to tell her I’m sorry. [End Page 90] Melissa Akie Wiley Melissa Akie Wiley is a writer, keynote speaker, and nationally-recognized leader in local government. She is the survivor of a facially disfiguring childhood dog attack and creator of an anti-bullying curriculum for children focused on the intersection of storytelling and disability. Her work was most recently published by The New York Times, The Manifest-Station, and Public Management Magazine. She is writing a forthcoming memoir about coming-of-age as a disfigured, bi-racial girl in America. She has traveled throughout the country teaching government officials how to drive innovation, change, and equity in public service delivery. Her mission is to restore faith in government and to redefine beauty for women and girls. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and lives with her husband, daughter, and dog in Erie, Colorado where she currently serves as the Deputy Town Administrator. Copyright © 2023 River Teeth