WHEELCHAIR MEMORY

The other day a memory I hadn’t thought about in years came to me from wherever my memories are stored… as I helped push a man in a wheelchair in through the hospital doors. Back when I was in college (and I had a lot more hair) I heard about a boy with cerebral palsy confined to a wheelchair. Bobby was homeschooled but he and his parents thought it would be cool instead of being taught at home…if he attended his local school. Everything was arranged…all that needed to be found was someone to take him to and from school…and when there…to wheel him around. I volunteered thinking it would be a good experience for me… besides…wheeling around a young boy in a wheelchair…how hard could that be? And it wasn’t hard at all…it was a piece of cake… as long as I remembered once I sat Bobby in his chair since the school sidewalk sloped…to set his parking brake. A couple of weeks in…we arrived at school…it was like any other day filled with anticipation, excitement and hope… until I heard Bobby scream Jiiiiiiiiim! and looked up to see him rolling backward down the slope. Luckily the slope was not to steep and pushed by the forgiving hands of Fate I easily caught up to Bobby…before it was too late. Once I caught him…I apologized profusely…but he was laughing…then he looked me in the eyes and asked, “Jim, can we please do that again?” And that became our morning routine…for me and Bobby, my little friend… I’d set him in his wheelchair take off the parking break…let him roll, then run beside him and catch him in the end. I’ll never forget the happiness on his face…the joy…the smile the laughter as he rolled backward down that slope…while I came running after. When I look back now I’m glad the way it happened…glad for my mistake for Bobby might never have felt the freedom nor I his joy If had remembered to set his parking brake.