The Accident

Chapter One

I felt a tingle of excitement ripple through my body as I heard the postman blow his whistle. Curious­ly, I looked over at Mother, who was sitting nearby doing some sewing. Then I began wheeling myself towards the door.

“I’ll get it.” She growled. Suddenly, every muscle in my body tightened and the cold finger of fear poked its way into the deepest part of my stomach. I dared not contradict her. Mother was in a particularly bad mood today. Yes, until this moment, she had been quiet and occupied, but I knew that in a flash this could all change and all hell would be let loose. I often felt as though I was in the army and that she was the Commander General – if there is such a thing in the Armed Forces. So I stopped, sat still and waited. Presently, she put down her needlework and went outside to the mailbox to get the post. “One for you.” she mumbled gruffly as she walked back through the doorway, “looks like Pete again. I hope that you two are not getting too fond of each other.” She then sat down again and resumed her sewing and that was that. Not another word was spoken.

I did not like that statement. In truth, it was a statement that made me very angry. Suddenly, í felt every muscle in my body again tighten and my breathing become shallow as I fought to stay calm and in control of myself. So, what did she mean by the words “too fond”? And who made her judge and jury over my feelings? SHE had her own close friends with whom she spent a great deal of time. In fact every­body I knew had close friends, spending time together and communicating through letters and even speaking to them by telephone. I could not see why it should be so different for me. Just because I have a physical disability, it does not mean that I am disabled mentally, or emotionally. Perhaps I was expected to sit at home alone and stare at the walls all my life. What a prospect! Anyway, it was too late. Pete and I were already more then fond of each other. Although the miles separated us physically, this was no hardship to our romance. We were in love and I didn’t care who knew about, it or what they thought about it. Tucking my letter down beside me, I began to move towards the door. I would find a more private place to read it.

What a beautiful day it was outside. The sun was shining brightly and there didn’t appear to be any clouds in sight. This was just the kind of weather that made me feel good. And to top it all off, a new family was moving in across the street. I could hear that there was a great deal of activity going on over there and since I was such a “curious child”, anxious to see it all, I wheeled myself part way down the drive so that I could get a better view. Now a few weeks previous to this, my father and brother Steve had concreted the driveway, and near to the road there was a small slope. They had warned me about this, telling me to be careful. But today in my curious efforts to see what was happening across the way, I had for the moment, forgot­ten about the dip. As I went over the incline, the wheelchair began to move on its own and because of my slow reactions; I was unable to stop it. For a few moments I felt excited as the chair gained speed until it was moving at a lightning pace. The cool touch of the breeze whizzed past my face, stirred by the fray of the mo­ment, carrying with it my hair which was now dancing to its own aspirations. I felt like I was flying and I was excited. But then there came the fear as I saw the road materialize before my eyes, a wall of black bitumen, and a terrifying realization of the truth of my situation as it flung itself towards me.

Right at that moment, my father was driving along on his way home for lunch. He too had noticed the people that were moving in over there and for a few seconds, took his eyes off the road. So he didn’t see my predicament. As he turned into the driveway, probably a little faster then he should, I came out to greet him in my wheelchair, totally out of control! The car hit my chair, and I was hurled out of it. And that’s the last I can remember of that until I found myself in a different place.