Friday was the day Bob and Linda had arranged to meet with the school about the accommodations they would need to make for Louise. After the disastrous meeting over the legalities of the incident. They were dreading the accommodations meeting. Bob had never noticed just how inaccessible Wagstaff was. He kicked himself for being so ignorant when none of his children needed accommodations. He never even considered them. Linda was more aware thanks to her serving on the PTA since Tina was in kindergarten. Every year they mailed out a survey to community members asking how they could improve Wagstaff. Accessibility was a big thing. They had tried to get a ramp set up five years when Benj first enrolled at Wagstaff. They had even held a fundraiser that raised most of the money required. Then suddenly the money was gone. Linda, like Bob, did not really think about it. Until her youngest child ended up wheelchair bound needing a ramp.
"Why the hell do I have to go to this stupid meeting?" Louise whined.
"You don't have to go to the meeting, but we want you to come with us. It will do you some good to get out and then afterwards we thought we could go to Mo…" Bob explained.
"On a super special secret mission." Linda interrupted.
"So not only to I have to go to school and sit around waiting for you guys to talk about how I am crippled and worthless now. Then I have to go shopping for a wheelchair? Are we going to top it off with a trip to the dentist?" Louise scoffed.
"No, your appointment with Dr. Yap isn't for another three months." Linda muttered.
"Louise you are not worthless, and we are going somewhere fun after. I promise." Bob assured.
For the second time in two weeks Bob and Linda were sitting in the school's conference room. This time along with Principal Spoors and Mr. Frond. They were meeting with Ms. Labonz, Coach Blevins, Ms. Twitchell, and Ms. Jacobson. Because Tina and Gene had agreed to help Louise with certain tasks. Meaning there may be times they needed to be dismissed from class. Their teachers were present to ensure they knew Tina and Gene. More specifically Gene were not simply trying to get out of class when they left to help Louise. Linda was surprised to see Benj's mom entering the room.
:" Oh uh Ms. Quinn I am surprised to see you here." Mr. Frond stammered.
"When Benjamin told me about Louise's accident. I immediately knew that I wanted to help the Belcher family in hopes they would actually be heard. Unlike when I had this exact same meeting with you five years ago." Ms. Quinn explained.
"How did you find out about this meeting? It was supposed to be private." Principal Spoors complained.
"I spoke to Benjamin, and he asked Louise's sister Tina." Ms. Quinn explained.
"Mr. and Mrs. Belcher I advise you to teach your children to not give away such delicate information." Principal Spoors ordered.
"As the parent of the only other handicapped child in your school. I feel I have every right to be present for this meeting. Especially given my son has been a paraplegic his entire life. I have had years to familiarize myself with the ADA. I am not saying the Belchers have not. I am saying they are new to this journey and most likely still in shock over the ordeal." Ms. Quinn spat.
"Very well" Principal Spoors sighed.
"So what accommodations are were going to have to make?" Mr. Frond questioned.
"Well for starters you can install a fucking ramp!" Linda snapped.
"On that note what happened to the funds raised for the ramp before Benjamin even started kindergarten?" Ms. Quinn demanded.
"The thing with that is. We raised the funds and intended to install a ramp before the holiday break that year. However, we had an unexpected expense." Mr. Frond explained.
"What was the expense?" Linda demanded.
"It was Jack here's fortieth anniversary of being principal. That is quite the feat and we wanted to go all out. We reappropriated the funds to rent a hall for the occasion." Mr. Frond explained.
"You are telling me that my son has had to wheel himself to the other side of the building and enter through the backdoor. Because you used the money raised specifically for a ramp to host a PARTY?" Ms. Quinn raged.
"We began replacing the funds almost immediately. We are nearly to our goal." Principal Spoors rebutted.
"With absolutely no due respect. My husband and I are already suing this school for your role in Louise's injury. Knowing that you misappropriated funds to install a proper ramp will not help your case. I have our lawyer on speed dial, and I am sure he would love to hear this new information. You have until Monday to begin construction on a proper ramp." Linda demanded.
"Mrs. Belcher it will take weeks to get a ramp installed. You cannot expect us to have one up in three days." Principal Spoors countered.
"Call this man. He will install a temporary one. If you begin tonight, it should be up by Monday afternoon or Tuesday at the latest. I am not afraid to lawyer up myself." Ms. Quinn declared shoving a business card into Principal Spoors' hands.
"We will call as soon as we are done here." Mr. Frond sighed.
"We also insist that our daughter not have to share the elevator with junk. We know for a fact this school has numerous empty rooms that can be used for storage." Bob demanded.
"Yes, but the elevator is the most convenient location and teachers appreciate that it can go from floor to floor. Rather than them have to carry items up and downstairs." Mr. Frond explained.
"So, you are saying you would rather Louise and Benj cram in with boxes that could fall. Than make teachers take a few extra steps?" Bob snapped.
"Well, when you put it that way. We will begin cleaning the elevator out and relocating items tomorrow." Mr. Frond sighed.
"Took you long enough." Ms. Quinn scoffed.
"What was that?" Mr. Frond questioned.
"I am done here. I will allow the Belchers to discuss Louise's personal needs privately." Ms. Quinn announced.
"We will get Louise an IEP plan immediately. How can we accommodate her?" Principal Spoors questioned.
"Academically Louise will be able to keep up with her peers. Her doctor wants her to start out with half days. That will be at least the first week. Longer if she has more trouble adapting." Linda explained.
"She will also need her desk moved to the front. Of the classroom. She has been very concerned about getting to her desk in the chair. She is nearly proficient in transferring herself but if possible. We would prefer she be given a desk with a detached chair. So, she can just roll in." Bob explained.
"We can do that." Mr. Frond promised.
"She will also need additional bathroom access. Uh she won't be thrilled about us sharing this, but she is currently using a catheter. That needs to be done twice a day. So only once during the school day. Ms. Jacobson part of why you are here is because Tina has agreed to help Louise with the process." Bob explained.
"Just have her remind me on Monday." Ms. Jacobson replied.
"I will make sure to send her." Ms. Labonz assured.
"Now we are going to eventually start working with her on training her bladder. Making sure to go every two hours or so. When that begins it is imperative, she be dismissed to the bathroom immediately regardless of what the class is doing." Bob explained.
"Of course," Ms. Labonz sighed.
"Does she have bowel control or is she using a diaper?" Mr. Fond asked.
"She has bowel control. Again, she will need to be dismissed immediately." Bob replied.
"OK" Mr. Fond sighed.
"I think we've covered everything academically and personally. Now when it comes to gym class. Of course, standard gym activities are now unsafe for her. She will need to be added to the special needs class." Linda explained.
"We don't have a special needs gym class. Benj plays wheelchair basketball, and we count that as his PE credit." Coach Blevins explained.
"What about the Rudys? What about Courtney?" Bob questioned.
"Rudy Stieblitz and Courtney Wheeler are in standard gym class, at their parents' request. Rudy Shackelford has an overall excuse." Coach Blevins explained.
"So, Louise's options are an outside sport, risk her safety to participate in standard gym, or just not do it at all?" Linda questioned.
"Well, we know what Louise will want." Bob laughed.
"We will talk to her about it." Linda insisted.
"Well, that should be all here. We will call you if anything changes. Thank you for your time." Bob informed.
"I better see a ramp and a clean elevator on Monday!" Linda barked.
Louise lightly tapped the back of her head against the wall. She had hoped that getting out of the house would cure her boredom. Well, it turns out that coming along to the school only meant that she was bored somewhere else. When they made her come along, Bob and Linda had told her that her siblings would keep her busy. Unfortunately, that did not end up being the case. Gene had got detention for putting his hands in the sloppy joe meat in the cafeteria and Tina was in the library studying for a math test with Susmita. Leaving Louise sitting alone in the hallway, outside the conference room. Where her parents were discussing all the ways she was going to make everybody else's lives harder.
"Hey Louise" Benj greeted.
"Benj? What are you doing here?" Louise asked.
"My mom is helping your parents make the school more accessible." Benj explained.
"How did she know the meeting was happening? Some sort of Wheelchair Wagstaff club?" Louise questioned.
"No nothing like that. When we heard about your accident. She wanted to reach out in hopes they would make it easier on you that it has been on me." Benj explained.
"You didn't see the accident?" Louise gasped the day of the accident along with the past few weeks had been a complete blur.
"No, my brother had a college tour that weekend. When my mom found out that the school had a wheelchair basketball team. She decided to head out a day early so we could see a game." Benj explained.
"So, what is your mom's obsession with basketball?" Louise asked.
"She played basketball from Peewee rec league to the collegiate level. My dad too. He actually played for a minor league team." Benj replied.
"Does your brother play?" Louise asked.
"He did until he came up with the ultimate way to get out of it without hurting mom's feelings." Benj replied.
"What's that?" Louise questioned.
"He wants to be a neurosurgeon." Benj laughed.
"What's stopping you?" Louise asked.
"I do not have the grades and I do not like blood." Benj confessed.
"So, what do you want to do with your life?" Louise questioned.
"Be the next Jim Henson. Hopefully without the dying of pneumonia part." Benj replied.
"Yeah, that part was pretty depressing." Louise agreed.
"Definitely a punch in the gut." Benj agreed.
"Does it get easier? Being in a wheelchair I mean." Louise questioned.
"Well, I have been in a chair my entire life. So, I am pretty used to it by now. There are still plenty of hardships, but I adapted." Benj explained.
"So, I will adapt?" Louise asked.
"Eventually yes" Benj assured.
"What is school like? Do you really have to wheel all the way to the back just to get in and out?" Louise asked.
"Afraid so but hopefully now that you are using a wheelchair too Principal Spoors and Mr. Frond will finally listen and get a ramp." Benj replied.
"Yeah, my mom is pissed." Louise admitted.
"Mine too she has been trying since before I started kindergarten. One was supposed to go in the year I started but that never happened. My mom has been fighting ever since but they won't give her any straight answers or install as much as a temporary ramp." Benj explained.
"That's fucked up." Louise snarled.
"Tell me about it." Benj replied.
"What if there's a fire drill or something and you are at the front of the school?" Louise asked.
"Usually, my teacher will help me, and my friends have learned what to do." Benj replied.
"What about the elevator? Gene said they put a bunch of junk in there and I know it breaks down a lot." Louise questioned.
"When the elevator is working, I just squeeze in with the stuff. When it is down a teacher is supposed to help but the last few times this eighth grader Zeke has helped me." Benj explained.
"I'm sure Tina and Gene will help me those days." Louise replied.
"Most certainly I do have to say there are some good parts." Benj replied.
"Like what?' Louise asked.
"Getting to leave each class early. Always being the first in the lunch line. Getting to real mess with Mr. Frond's head." Benj replied.
"Yeah, I could get behind that." Louise replied.
"Well, it sounds like my mom is getting ready to go. Just a heads up she tends to go overboard when I meet another disabled kid. Don't be surprised if she starts bombarding your parents with play date proposals." Benj replied.
"Don't be surprised if your mom ends up being the sane one." Louise laughed.
"Yikes" Benj squeaked.
"Yeah, but uh I would not mind having play dates with you." Louise assured.
"Great" Benj replied.
"We can go anywhere besides the mini golf place." Louise offered.
"Don't tell me you think wheelchair users can't play mini golf." Benj scoffed.
"I didn't think that was an issue. I am just banned from there." Louise confessed.
"No way! Me too? What did you do?" Benj asked.
"Me and my brother stuck a putter in the yeti so we could shoot balls under both obstacles at once." Louise replied.
"OK that is cool." Benj laughed.
"What did you do?" Louise asked.
"Me and my cousin were sword fighting with the clubs." Benj laughed.
"Respect" Louise cooed.
"Thank you, thank you." Benj cried.
"Uh can I ask what happened to you or is that rude?" Louise asked.
"It is generally rude to ask a person with a disability or other physical difference what happened to them. At least it shouldn't be the first question, but it will happen and pretty often. You will get used to it in time." Benj explained.
"Sorry" Louise apologized.
"No, it is OK. It is normal to be curious. Especially if the person is young. I actually personally don't mind sharing my story. Especially with other kids. I will say that a lot of times kids are scared about the idea of being disabled. I was born with my condition. So that puts them at ease but somebody like you who became paralyzed. Well, I would advise you speak with another person who became disabled on how to explain your condition in a way that won't scare kids. Especially small children will hear about somebody becoming paralyzed or losing a body part in an accident. Often, they will worry that the same thing will happen to them with every little bump or scrape." Benj explained.
"I never thought about it like that before." Louise gasped.
"Yeah, uh there are a few kids in my basketball league in similar situations as what you are in now and that is very common." Benj replied.
"So can I ask what happened?" Louise questioned.
"My mom got into a car accident when she was pregnant with me. I guess my back was against her belly and the seat belt damaged my spinal cord." Benj explained.
"Wow that's terrible." Louise gasped.
"Really it's no worse than what happened to you." Benj replied.
"Do you ever get angry or sad? Because of the things you can't do? Or the things that are harder for you?" Louise asked.
"Yes, a more than I typically care to admit but don't worry. Whatever you are feeling is normal." Benj assured.
"Yeah, but do you ever feel like I don't know like it would have been better if you had died in your accident?" Louise asked.
"No. Wait are you saying you wish you were dead?" Benj cried.
"No of course not. I was just curious because in the pamphlet I got. It said that happened sometimes." Louise assured laughing nervously.
"Look like I said depression is completely normal and it's actually healthy. It shows you are processing what happened. Not just denying it. Even if you aren't feeling that way. I recommend you see a therapist. I've been going to one since I was four. She's actually the one who got me into Jim Henson and puppets. My brother used to see her too. So, if Tina and Gene need any help too, they can see her too. I don't remember her number off the top of my head, but I can get a business card at the next appointment." Benj offered.
"My parents are looking into getting me a shrink. I'm sure they will come across her." Louise sighed.
Before Louise could say much more Benj's mom exited the conference room and told him it was time to go. They said their goodbyes and then Benj was on his way. Tina's study session must have ended because she showed up just after Benj left. Grinning stupidly at the sight of her sister talking to a boy. Louise scoffed and rolled her eyes. Grateful that Gene got out of detention before Tina could ask any super embarrassing questions. Shortly after that Bob and Linda exited the conference room and the next thing Louise knew they were pulling into the parking lot of "Mo Mobility, Mo Problems. Bob unloaded the clunky loaner chair from the back and Tina stood a little to close as she transferred herself into the chair. She lagged behind her family. She was not ready for this but as Bob explained it was fifty dollars a month to rent the chair and it would take at least a few days for Louise's chair to come in. Unless she just went with a basic model. Which she was very seriously considering doing. An overly enthusiastic salesperson named Joe escorted them to the kid's section. Louise felt sick seeing a little boy wearing glasses thicker than Tina's, a helmet on his head, a hole was drilled in his throat and a long tube went down his torso and attached to a ventilator behind him. His shirt covered it, but Louise suspected he had a permanent feeding tube. She'd had a temporary one shoved in her nosed the first couple of days after the accident. The meds she was on made her nauseous and tired and made eating meals hard. She just had the tube to make sure she did not lose weight due to her already being considered underweight. This kid may have never tasted food. She spun herself around not wanting to make him feel worse by seeing her cry. Thant's when she saw it. A wheelchair probably the same model as what Benj has but it was lime green just like Kuchi Kopi, just like the family home. The lime green was actually a camo style print with a darker green. She wheeled closer and saw that it glowed in the dark and was rated for adventure. She knew it was the one for her. Then she saw the price tag. She scanned the section trying desperately to avoid seeing that poor little boy again. Just as quickly as she found her dream chair. She spotted a rickety basic chair in that hideous wheelchair blue. It was dreadful but it was only eighty dollars.
"I guess this one." Louise sighed.
"OK we have plenty in the back." Joe replied.
"Hang on what was the one you were looking at before?" Linda asked.
"Ugh this one but it is five hundred dollars." Louise replied pointing to the green chair.
"It is a pricey model, but it is really rugged and unlike the quote unquote cheaper model. It is made to grow with you. Young lady if you don't mind taking a seat to show your sister what I am talking about." Joe replied instructing Tina to sit in the chair.
"OK" Tina replied pulling the chair.
"See how nicely your sister fits in this chair." Joe commented.
"Yes" Louise replied.
"This is actually really comfortable, Louise." Tina replied.
"Yes, and don't worry when yours comes in. Which should be in a week or less. We will adjust it to fit you and then you can come back as you grow to have it adjusted." Joe explained.
"That is great, but it is five hundred dollars." Louise sighed.
"Louise listen to me. Five hundred dollars is a lot, but we will make it work." Bob assured.
"We actually have an installment plan. We ask one hundred down but and then the recommended payment is fifty dollars every two weeks, but you can pay more if you are able." Joe explained.
"What if we can't make a payment?" Louise asked.
"Louise that is for me and your mom to worry about." Bob warned.
"I know but there are so many bills." Louise sobbed.
"Oh Louise, baby." Linda replied pulling her daughter into a tight hug.
"Just pay as much as you can every two weeks. You can even pay weekly." Joe explained.
"OK but I am sure it is going to be a lot of work to get the payment plan." Louise sniffed.
"It is just a few forms." Joe assured.
"They've had so many forms." Louise sobbed.
"Joe get us those forms and here is my credit card for the downpayment." Bob declared.