Well, here's part 2. It shouldn't be quite as heartbreaking as part 1.
He cursed when he heard and felt the tire go.
It was much too late to be dealing with such things, it's not like he could easily deal with the tire. He'd have to get out his chair before he could do anything about a spare.
He was too tired to even think about doing so now, as it was surely sometime after midnight.
He was just going to sleep in his car and change the tire in the morning when he noticed the lights of a police car flick on. They pulled up behind him and parked. He rolled down his window to talk with the officer who was coming towards him. "Anything I can do for you officer?"
"More like if I can do anything for you? I stopped because I noticed you on the side of the road, and then saw your flat. You're not going to try and take care of that tonight are you?"
"Nope, I was just about to settle for the night."
"In your car?" The raised eyebrows could be more heard than seen.
"Couldn't exactly get anywhere else."
"I could bring you into town and probably get you set up in the motel for the rest of the night. It'd be more comfortable than your car."
"If there's any steps there, my car is just fine."
"There aren't any steps there."
"I'm fine here, really."
"It can still nip down pretty cold in the desert."
"You're not gunna give up are you?"
"No, you're not even that far out of town."
"You'll have to give me a minute here." He rolled his window up and opened the door.
He pulled out his wheelchair, much to the shock of the officer, and transferred himself over to it. People were always surprised to see he needed a wheelchair after seeing him behind the wheel.
He rolled over to the patrol car and looked back at the officer, "are we going, or not?"
oOo
"We could take daddy's car out to get yours..."
"Only if you're driving."
"I don't know how to drive."
"You don't know how to drive?"
"Daddy doesn't think driving is suitable for young ladies."
"Well, I'll just be wheeling myself out there then."
"But couldn't you just drive out there yourself?"
"Miss Piston, the only reason I'm still able to drive my Hornet, is because my brother rigged me up a system so that I can control everything with my hands. I can't drive any other vehicle unless it's modified in a similar way."
oOo
He wheeled himeslf back to his car with Emily Piston walking beside him.
"Can you change a tire by yourself?" She asked tilting her head.
"I can... it just takes longer. Shouldn't you have considered that before we started out?"
oOo
"You seem like you're pretty good at manoeuvring that chair... How long have you had it for?" Asked the officer who picked him up.
"Not long, but you learn quick when that's your only mode of transportation."
oOo
Everyone knew.
Everyone in town knew who he was now. He wasn't going to be just Jesse anymore.
All due to Alexander Piston, who couldn't keep his mouth shut. Couldn't find it in him to pass up the chance to kick him when he's down. Announcing to the town, that he; Jesse Hudson, the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, could no longer walk.
As if that wasn't already obvious.
What he didn't expect was for those in town to rally around him; over Alex, who they would have known longer. Defending him, though they hardly knew him.
"Honey, we can all tell you've had a hard time of it lately. It doesn't matter who you are, he shouldn't be treating you like that sugar. We all come from eccentric backgrounds around here anyway."