A Day in the Life of a Nonverbal Girl Saying “When”

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You know those moments when someone’s grating cheese over your pasta or sprinkling salt on your eggs, and they lean in with that expectant look, waiting for you to “say when”? Yeah, about that… I’m nonverbal. But do you think that stops people from asking me to “say when”? Absolutely not! So, what’s a nonverbal girl to do? Well, I’ve come up with a hilarious alternative: I jump! Yes, you heard that right. Let me take you through a day in the life of my nonverbal culinary adventures.

It’s breakfast time, and I’m sitting down with a plate of delicious scrambled eggs. My personal care assistant hovers over my plate with a saltshaker, ready to give my eggs the perfect dash of flavor. They start sprinkling, and naturally, they ask me to “say when.” Cue the awkward pause as they realize their mistake. But instead of feeling stumped, I’ve turned this into a game. I give a little bounce in my seat. My personal care assistant says, “Oh, that’s enough? Got it!” Mission accomplished.

Fast forward to lunch. I’m enjoying a nice plate of pasta, and it’s time to add the piece de resistance: grated cheese. As my personal care assistant starts grating, the inevitable “say when” request comes my way. And once again, I’m faced with the impossible task of saying something I literally can’t say. Now, here’s the thing: I love cheese. So it might take me a moment to jump—but I will! I jump a little higher this time. It’s like a personal cheese-related aerobics session. My personal care assistant says, “Wow, you really like your cheese!” You bet I do, but who knew cheese could double as cardio?

Dinner rolls around, and I’m at a fancy restaurant. The waiter is about to drizzle some salad dressing over my greens. You know where this is going. As the dressing starts flowing, the waiter gives me that familiar look. I could just nod, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, I go for a subtle chair wiggle. It’s like we’re playing a game of charades, and my clue is “when!” The best part? The waiter understands without me having to explain anything. “Ah, perfect!” he says. Salad dressing delivered, and I’ve added a new move to my jump-and-wiggle repertoire.

Being nonverbal doesn’t mean I can’t have a little fun with the quirks of everyday life. Sure, I might not be able to “say when,” but who says communication has to be boring? Whether I’m jumping, wiggling, or coming up with new ways to signal “that’s enough,” I’m living my best life—one sprinkle, grate, and drizzle at a time. So next time you’re asked to “say when,” remember: if words fail, just jump!