Derrick King
Pearl put her head on her hands and watched a ferry disappear around the point. She was still gazing at the ripples of water when the meal arrived. “Is something bothering you?” I asked again. The question hung in the air, and we ate without signing. When our ferry rounded the point, she signed. “Let’s go. We must unload the truck and put wood on the fire.” On the way home, I paused at the Oldsmobile parked in the cove so Pearl could drive it home. I drove home, changed, did the chores, and unloaded the sacks of feed in the barn. It was just above freezing. When I walked back to the house, Pearl wasn’t home, so no fire was burning, and the house was cold. I worried that the Oldsmobile had broken down again, so I drove to the cove in my farm clothes. The Oldsmobile was gone. I drove home slowly, looking for it at the sides of the roads. There were no streetlights on Bowen Island. Suddenly, the flashing blue emergency lights of the RCMP jeep came up behind me, and it rocketed past. I wondered where Laurent was going so quickly on a Friday night. I kept driving slowly, looking for Pearl. I couldn’t find her, so I went home to call the police. As I crested the driveway, my truck’s headlights came down to rest on Laurent’s jeep. Laurent stood in the kitchen. Pearl stood to his side and behind him. She looked agitated, explosive, and dangerous. “Hello, Laurent. What’s up?” I said without signing. “Interpret!” demanded Pearl. “Hello, Laurent. What’s happening?” I signed and said. “Your lips said something different! You must interpret exactly!” “Hello, Laurent. What is up?” I signed exactly, pointing up. The literal expression makes no more sense in ASL than it does in English. “Derrick, Pearl asked me to arrest you for trying to kill her.” My head started spinning. “Why?” was all I could say. “Interpret!” signed Pearl. I was the interpreter at my own inquisition. “Are you trying to kill Pearl?” “Don’t be ridiculous.” “She’s convinced you are.” “Arrest him!” “I need reason
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