I have rewritten this thing three times at this point and I am unable to tell the story in less than thirty pages so here is the screen play version.
Scene: A packed Lowes on a beautiful fall Saturday.
Characters:
Drew (The Boy)
Jason (The Dad)
Context: This is The Boys’ 1st trip to Lowes in his wheelchair. To best explain his attitude about his new found freedom, I will let the great Robert Hoover from the movie Animal House explain.
Cut Away: ”Ladies and Gentlemen, I’ll be brief. The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules or, took a few liberties, we did”
Fade in:
The Dad: Drew, we need to grab some lightbulbs and then I will let you play in the kitchens for a minute
The Boy: Kitchens
The Dad: (Caring and loving) After I find the bulb for the oven buddy.
The Dad: (Looking for the oven light) Drew….. Drew (looking at the back of The Boy’s head Bee lining for the kitchen)
The Boy: Gone
The Dad: (caring and patient, wonderful father) I will take you to the kitchens once we get our job done, do you understand?
The Boy: OK
The Boy: Gone
The Boy & The Dad: repeat three times
The Dad: (Grabbing his wheelchair handles and pulling his wheels in the air) You’re in my world now boy, wheels don’t work off the ground. Stay next to me. Last warning.
The Boy: (Mad but listening to The Dad) OK
The Boy: Gone
Scene: People are watching and judging The Dad at this point.
The Dad: (Grabs The Boy from his wheelchair and throws the boy over his shoulder like LL Cool J holding a boom box) (Leaves store, pushing empty wheelchair with The Boy screaming on his shoulder, buys lightbulb on Amazon.)
My point, there is no question that we need to parent Drew differently. What is required from Christy and myself is patience, understanding and many accommodations. With that said, not listening or defying his Parents, teachers or baby sitters is not an accommodation we are willing to make. I can tell you, it is always tough for us to know how far we bend. Yes, sometimes my “Accommodation” is throwing Drew over my should like Paul Bunyan carrying an axe. Regardless of circumstance, Drew will have to respect authority and rules. Even if the teaching of those rules make “The Dad” look like a jerk, I’m cool with that.