Chapter 5

"Well, here we are." Melanie said. Stephanie looked around. "Wow." Was all she could manage to say. They were standing in the middle of a sea of people. Melanie grinned. "Hectic, isn't it?" she asked. Stephanie nodded. "Its so awesome though. I can't wait until the events start."

The week before, Melanie had called Stephanie and asked if she wanted to come to the Golden Gate Games for the Physically Challenged with her. Melanie was going to be participating in the 40 meter track race, and the 25 meter breastroke swimming.

Melanie tugged on Stephanie's arm, pulling her out of her thoughts. "C'mon. I need to go register so I can get my T-shirt and stuff." Melanie led Stephanie to a small desk at which two or three people were sitting at. Melanie told the people her name and they gave her a backpack with Golden Gate Games For the Physically Challenged on it. Melanie and Stephanie moved aside and opened the backpack. Inside was a yellow T-shirt with Golden Gate For the Physically Challenged 2005 on it. Also inside was a blue sweat shirt with Golden Gate For the Physically Challenged 2005 on it.

"I have to wear one of these when I compete, except in swimming." Melanie explained. Then she reached her hand inside the bag and took out the last thing in it. It was a small purse with a string. Inside the purse were two slips of paper telling what events Melanie was doing.

They walked along the grass, where signs for different schools that brought their students to participate were set up. Some were all-handicapped schools, and some were regular schools that had some physically challenged students. Then Melanie took out a small book from her backpack. "According to the events book, the track events should start at eleven. Now, that doesn't mean that I'm going to be running at eleven. I may run much later, depending on where my event is in the track event schedule. The swimming events are later, in the evening." Stephanie nodded. Her head was spinning from all this information.

They climbed up into the stands to watch the beginning of the track events. Stephanie's attention was immediately focused on a little girl in a walker who was going to be in the race. The flag used to start the race swished down and they were off. The girl in the walker moved so slowly. She finished the race last and very behind the others. But she still smiled and pumped her fist in the air. Stephanie stared at her in amazement. Wow. She thought. I would have been upset because I came in last place. This girl is happy just because she finished. Stephanie immediately resolved to be more like the girl in the walker, trying her best, but being happy with what she had.

For the next hour, Stephanie watched in awe as little people, people with missing limbs, and people with disabilities such as muscular dystrophy and of course, cerebral palsy, competed in track races. Then it was Melanie's turn. Stephanie wished her friend good luck. "Here." Melanie told her, slipping her hand out of her crutch. "Watch my crutch for me, I can run better without it. Stephanie watched as her friend made her way down to the track. In a few minutes the race began. Stephanie was amazed to see Melanie run like the wind. She easily came in first place. Stephanie hugged her friend as she came back into the stands.

"Melanie that was awesome!" Steph exclaimed. "Thanks!" Melanie said. "That was just my heat though. There's too many people doing one race, so they split it up into heats. I came in first in my heat, but that doesn't necessarily mean I got the gold medal. We'll have to check back with the people at the front desk later to see if I won any medals. The swimming events are later, so I think it would be boring to stick around. Can you get your dad or Joey or somebody to drive you back here around five thirty?" Stephanie nodded. "See you later." She said.

Danny dropped Stephanie off later. She met Melanie at the entrance. Melanie was dressed in a blue and purple bathing suit, and her hair was in a ponytail, covered with a blue bathing cap. She smiled when she saw Stephanie.

"Hey, Steph!" she said. "I just checked the schedule. My event is number three out of thirty-five events. So I'll be swimming soon. C'mon!" The girls made their way to the indoor pool. The air was filled with the smell of chloride.

A whistle was used to start the race, along with a flag for deaf swimmers. Melanie's event was 25 meters, one length of the pool. In no time at all it was time for her event.

The whistle blew and they were off. Stephanie saw Melanie push hard with her feet off the wall of the pool. She smoothly swam the length of the pool, then grabbed the other side when she was finished, breathing heavily. It was hard to tell from where I'm sitting. Stephanie mused. But it looks like she came in first; again! Melanie came over to Stephanie, drying herself with a towel. "You did great!" Stephanie told her. Melanie smiled. "Thanks. Hey, my friend Jason is doing wheelchair basketball over in the gym. You wanna go watch?" Stephanie agreed and they made their way to the gym, where people of all different physical disabilities were playing basketball. Melanie pointed. "There's Jason." She told Stephanie.

Stephanie peered closer at the boy Melanie was pointing to. He was in a power wheelchair. He had no arms and short legs-and he was playing basketball with his feet! Stephanie watched as Jason dribbled the ball with one foot, and steered his wheelchair towards the basketball hoop with the other foot. Once he was in position, he scooped up the ball with his foot and moved it down his leg with his chin. Then he quickly raised his leg so the ball flew in an arc towards the hoop. It went in with a satisfying swish. Stephanie turned to Melanie. "Wow! I can't believe he does all that with his feet!" Melanie grinned. "I know!" she said. "I never get tired of him doing that. He's better than most able-bodied basketball players I know!"

After about a half hour more of watching Jason, Melanie tapped Steph on the shoulder. "C'mon. The results of the races should be in by now." They went up to the front desk. Melanie told the people her name and what events she was in. They discovered she had won gold in both events! Melanie and Stephanie hugged each other as the lady handed over two shiny gold medals that said Golden Gate Games on them, both in regular printing and in Braille.

As they went out to where Danny was picking Stephanie up, Stephanie said "I can't believe these games! It's like….a revelation. Nothing stops you guys. You guys never let your disability get in the way, and these games are proof of that! I've learned so much today." The horn of Danny car honked, and Stephanie said goodbye. As she got into the car, she saw Melanie waving goodbye, her figure silhouetted in the moonlight. Stephanie realized something as they drove away. Melanie had introduced her to a whole new world, a whole new culture…..a culture which she now was a part of.

A/N: I hope this chapter wasn't too long! The Golden Gate Games were based on the Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged, in which I participated in last year for the first time. I competed in the same events Melanie did and I did win gold medals in both of them! Yes, I do get teased sometimes, but not very often. Mostly I just get questions. Lots and lots of questions about my disability that are asked over and over again. It gets really annoying sometimes. But that shouldn't stop you guys from asking questions! I like it when you ask questions, and I like answering them. Its so cool that people want to learn more about CP and disabilities in general. Thanks for all the great reviews and keep reviewing! I'm not sure what's going to happen in the next chapter, so it might take me a few days to figure out what's going to happen, write it, and upload it. In the meantime, keep reading and reviewing!