Out of my mind

        Have you ever felt like no one understood you, or you couldn't say what you wanted to? Well this is what Melody has gone through for the eleven years that she has been living. Melody has a condition of cerebral palsy, in which she cannot talk and does not have control of any parts of her body. Everyone assumed that she was dumb inside, and that she couldn't understand anything. In reality however, Melody was very intelligent. In the book Out of My Mind by Sharon M Draper, Melody goes through ups and downs, throughout her 5th grade school year.
       Melody was put in the special ed class and had stayed in the same room with the same kids for seven years. In Melody's mind, she had all of these emotions and thoughts but the closest thing to getting them outside for everyone to hear, was a little board. Her little board only had easy words on it; yes, no, please, thank you, bathroom, now!, etc. outside everyone only knew her answers from the board, and no one really ever knew what she wanted. Everyone always treated her like a little kid, except for Mrs. V, her next door neighbor. Mrs. V always knew that Melody had a smart mind, and wanted her to reach her full potential.
       Melody finally got a new computer that attached to her wheelchair, so that she could type something in and it would say it out loud. Melody finally had a chance to say whatever she wanted, and could talk to "normal" 5th graders! She was ecstatic. In her social studies class (one class that she was in with "normal" 5th graders and their teachers) they had to compete for the Whiz Kids competition. Melody got every single answer correct and got on the team! The team went on and passed the state round, and they had to fly to Chicago for the country round! The competition started at 7pm sharp, so the plane left at 3pm. Melody's family got their at one, just to be told that no planes were leaving, because of a snow storm. They asked about the other competitors, and the woman at security told them that they had gotten there earlier in a group and gotten on a 9am flight. Melody was really disappointed.  Once the other team members got back, she just kept her head held high, because they didn't win, and admitted that they probably would have won with her there.
        I admire Melody because she never gave up and didn't let anyone put her down, or get to her head. I hope to one day acquire as much confidence a Melody had, she knew what she wanted and she went straight for it.