Then John decided to go and ask them to play with him.

“Hello, everyone,” he said.  They were not so happy looking. “Sorry that I did not come out to play this week.  I was not feeling so good.  John waited hopefully as their faces lit up.

“So, how’s about a game of baseball?  Whatcha waiting for?” Robin told him with a big, bright smile.

The children treated him like a “regular” child.  When he failed to catch the ball, they screamed at him. When he caught a fly ball, they congratulated him.  When he made a strike, they would frown.  When he hit the ball, they would smile.

John loved to be treated like a “regular” child.   He sometimes forgot that he was in a wheelchair.  He forgot the day when he was four years old when he crossed the street to catch a ball.  He forgot the screech sound of the car tires.  He forgot his mother’s screams.  But many times when he looked down at his wheelchair or when he was going down the stairs, he remembered and wanted to cry.

Chapter 9

What a Fall It Is Going To Be

John was beginning to like his new neighborhood.  He spoke every day to his friends from his old neighborhood.  He made new friends.  Robert introduced John and David to many children their age – Tommy, Benjamin, Steven, Jennifer, Tracy and more.  They treated John well. At first Tommy stared at the wheel chair, but, after getting to know John and playing baseball with him, he stopped staring.  The family went camping three more times.  The vegetables and flowers grew in the garden.

The next day would be the first day of school.  “Where did the summer go?”  John thought over and over.

“I can’t wait until tomorrow!”  David told John.

“I can wait for a million years!”  John said.

“Oh, John, don’t worry.  Everything is going to be all right,” his mother comforted him.

Henry was chewing on a part of a toy.  “Don’t put dirty things in your mouth!” his mother snapped at him.  She took it away from him and he had a tantrum.

“I have to go to the doctor, children.  There is food in the refrigerator.  I will be back in about an hour.  Take care.”  She took Henry with her.

“What a fall it’s going to be!”  John told David.  “I have to get used to everything.”

“Boy, I’d hate to be in our shoes,” David said.  “But you’ll work it out.”  John was a little distressed by David’s words but knew that he really did not mean any harm.  John knew that he had to be strong once again.

“Why don’t we watch television?”  David asked.

“My mind won’t be on it,” John said.

“Look, John, you have to do something to get our mind off school.  Take advantage of the day.  Don’t waste time.  That’s like throwing it in the garbage.  Come on,” David told him.  “You have to acknowledge the fact that what I just said is true.

“All right, genius, what should I do?”

“Watch television,” David offered.

“I don’t feel like it.”

“So do what Mom would tell you to do and read.”

“I’ll be reading from tomorrow on.  Besides, I don’t feel like it.”

“Listen to music,” David said.

“I’m not in the mood for music.”

“How’s about going to Robert’s house?”

“When will we get back?”

“When Mom comes home.”

“How will we know?”

“We’ll come back in an hour.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t feel like it.”