The power of suggestion is a funny one. Any little idea and my mind instantly start's whirling and trying to conjure up a story. This is what's happened now, 'Nicster' made the suggestion and here is the story.
I know I said that I will be going quiet but it turns out I am an addict.
This story falls between 'Motionless and Fast Forward' I've been searching for a new series idea for ages and it turns out that 'Nicster's' really caused the creative juices to flow, here it is.
"My computers playing up," Jackson turned to Joe who was stood on the other side of Dale Head's living room, folding his washing; he straightened and raised an eyebrow. "No good looking at me mate, I'm useless with computers – especially one as complicated as yours."
Jackson closed his eyes, frustrated, this meant he was going to have to call out a technician and he really couldn't be without his computer, "how am I going to mark these without them?" In front of him sat a mountain of papers from his students, the subject is creative writing and he wanted to get them back for tomorrow's class.
Next to him Joe shrugged, "I could go and get my laptop and we could sit together?"
If was times like this we're he felt he could scream – only for him this would be a problem.
Jackson is a teacher, lecturing at the University of York, with a full degree in English, he started working there six months ago and is currently undertaking his Masters. He was very fortunate to get the job – what with not having any teaching experience, but luckily they saw more in him, probably something to do with the fact that he is a published author.
He wrote a book whilst in the second year of his degree and a short story the year after. The 'Book' was a very personal account of his life and a best seller and whilst painful to write it opened up so many doors.
"Do you want to do that then Jackson?"
He spun his chair round to look at Joe, his loyal carer who'd worked with him for seven years, "It's going to take hours."
Joe just grinned in response, "That's fine, Lilly's taking the kids to a birthday party tonight anyway – and you know I have no problems with you paying me more money."
Thank god for Joe, who always has the sunniest disposition and always helps him to overcome obstacles, Jackson has a huge obstacle, one that no one can understand how it feels unless they experience it for themselves – he is tetraplegic. This means he cannot feel or move beneath his neck, he is wheel chair bound and has carers round the clock. It happened when he was twenty- three, before then he had been a builder with his own business, he had his own life, a boyfriend who he loved and four fully functioning limbs. One day he went playing on the tracks, and his van was hit by an oncoming train, the doctors said he was lucky to be alive.
"right," Jackson said, running his tongue over his teeth, "we're in for a long night, I'll call the technician to get my computer sorted, hopefully they can fix it tomorrow," he looked up at Joe, "and you can sort out the coffee –we're going to need it!"
Five hours later their settled into the routine, Jackson felt that he needed to give Joe some credit because it's not exactly been fun. He is reading through his students works and Joe's job is to scroll down the page and type any comments Jackson tells him, his spelling is fairly atrocious though and Joe keeps giving sheepish looks when he needs help.
Usually Jackson has a special lap tap that's voice activated and can detect eye level, there is also a piece of software that can open all the documents and it makes marking a lot faster. Joe huffs loudly and Jackson turned his head to look at him, in return Joe just gives a sort of smile, "spelling stresses me out." He shake his head fondly, "don't worry you're doing great."
Since the accident Jackson has been through a few carers, but Joe has always stayed. In the beginning it was Joe along with his Mother, she lived with him for two years until eventually Jackson couldn't hack it anymore and told her to get lost. This is the joke that Jackson always tell because he knows his Mum is amazing; she never gave up, even though he made her life hell. It took a while, but with her and the other people in his life, Jackson came to realise that actually he did have something to live for. That after those two years of coming to terms with everything he was strong enough to let her get on with her own life and so sent her back off on her travels. Of course she keeps popping up every six months to earn some money and she won't leave him alone on Skype.
"Twenty Nine marked, six to go," Jackson can't help the teasing in his voice and Joe groans, "I'm too good to you."
Jackson can't deny it, because Joe goes above and beyond for him, their far more friends than client and carer, with Joe even going as far as to ask Jackson to be his best man at his wedding to Lilly. They have two gorgeous little girls who Jackson spoils like crazy called Sophie and Marie and he's always invited around theirs.
"I reckon we can get these done before last orders, I'll treat you to a pint."
Joe just looked at Jackson as if he's lost his mind, "forget the pint – you're getting me a double!"
