The Things I Have To Explain...

If you read my blog regularly you know that I spend several afternoons a week at an ICF/MR where I counsel with those who suffer from developmental delay issues. I wrote a post sometime ago about a woman I see for sessions and walking with her and her finding happiness just from finding grasshoppers. I had a session with her again yesterday and while it was not inspirational but was rather humorous!

We were walking and talking again yesterday and made our way to the Koi fish pond and sat at the gazebo for a little while as she talked about some things she had going on and her feelings on some issues and we discussed how she can cope, because you know that is what counselors are suppose to do.

Winding down her session we started walking back to the workshop so she could return to her job duties. She noticed all the butterflies flying around and started talking to the butterflies, she often talks to insects, which is quite therapeutic for her. She said things like "oh hello pretty butterfly, isn't it a pretty day" "my aren't you a pretty butterfly", etc. We discussed some of the colors of the butterflies and then a beautiful yellow butterfly flew in our path and landed on the sidewalk. We stopped immediately just looking at the butterfly when my clients said "My you are a beautiful butterfly! Would you like to choke my chicken?" OH EMMM GEEE!! I about fell over!! As hard as I tried I just couldn't stifle my laughter.

Making me laugh is something she enjoys so she kept repeating this "want to choke my chicken?". I was finally able to gather myself take a deep breath and ask her if she knew what it meant. She told me "no" and said a male peer asks her that sometimes. I tried to think of the most appropriate way to inform her what the phrase was referring to and finally just told her "he is asking you to grab his penis". She stopped and looked down like she was thinking very hard and then slowly turned her head to me and said "he is asking me what?". I told her again what the phrase meant and she took a deep breath and sighed deeply shaking her head and said "well that just isn't very nice and I think I will tell him he can choke his own chicken". Since she was being so serious I knew I could not laugh so I bit on my lower lip so I wouldn't laugh and simply told her "yes, that might be a good idea".

On the drive home I got to thinking about this all over again and just about had to pull over because I was laughing so hard. Sometimes I have to talk with clients where there are no easy explanations...loss of a loved one, overcoming years of abuse, how to deal with emotions you don't understand, how to deal with mean people, etc. But yesterday, well the explanation I had to give in that session had to be one of the most entertaining!