Brune does not strike you as an ordinary name. Well, the 22 year old who is pursuing his final year BA English Literature degree, is not an ordinary human being either. He is a friend, wordsmith and personality extraordinaire. Brune is visually challenged (blind, for the uninitiated), but that does not stop him from being the top student in his class. As I sat near him writing his African-American Literature exam for him, I was marveling at his linguistic finesse. I wrote 17 full pages in 2 hours, which I woudn’t call a feat in itself because sitting beside me and spelling it all out was Brune.

After the exam, he gently thanked me and shook my hands. I offered him a ride home and he obliged. On the drive back Brune talked at length about his future plans of doing a post graduation and further research in English language and also pursuing a career. At home, I met his mother who had the expression of any other proud mother when her child returns home and says he has written well. While leaving he gave me crisp directions to get to my place and I bid him goodbye.

I don’t wish to spoil this post by talking about my experience as a scribe today, because today it’s all him; Brune Joseph, the boy who could see the farthest.

[I wrote this in October 2012, after I served as his scribe. Today, Brune has a doctorate in philosophy, English language and literature.]