Reggie

Reggie

My family lived in a small farming town, and it was rare to see anybody in a wheelchair. The town didn't have services for the disabled, and there were no curb cuts or accessible bus service. The school was a two-story building with no accessible entry. So, you can imagine how surprised I was when I met a boy my age who was a wheelchair user.

Reggie moved into town during summer vacation when I was ten years old. I met him one day while playing baseball with my friends at the park. I saw him sitting behind the fence when I was pitching the ball. My friends saw him too. Since it was rare to see a disabled person, we began to stare at him.

The boy had coal-black hair and freckles around his nose. He wore a light blue polo shirt and dark blue shorts. What was noticeable was that the boy had braces below his knees. He was sitting in a power wheelchair with a grin on his face. To break the tension, he introduced himself.

"Hi, my name is Reggie Taylor. I just moved into town yesterday."

None of us boys knew how to react. We all stood inspecting him like he was a piece of art. As we stood by the baseball diamond gawking at Reggie, a man I had never met walked towards us. I suspected that the man was Reggie's dad.

"Hi, boys; I am Reggie's dad. We moved here from Seattle yesterday since I got a job teaching at the grade school."

Everybody except me picked up their baseball gear and went home. I was curious about the boy, but I stood there like a statue until Reggie said, "Do you want to come to my house to play video games?"

I was stunned. It never occurred to me that Reggie was a normal kid who just happened to be in a wheelchair. I thought I would give him a chance.

"Sure, I would like to play video games with you, but I got to go home to tell my mom where I am going first."

"Okay, we live in the blue house on Oak Street." Reggie smiled.

"I will be right there after I talk to my mom."

I ran through the park and over a small bridge to my house. My mom was working in the yard.

"Mom, there is a new kid in town, and he is in a wheelchair!" I yelled.

"I just heard about him at the café this morning. I want you to be nice to him. Do you hear?"

"He invited me over to his house to play video games."

"You can go, but I want you home for dinner."

"Okay, Mom."

I ran back across the bridge and to Oak Street. Since the town was so small, I knew the exact house Reggie's family moved into. The door opened before I had a chance to knock. Reggie's dad was at the door.

"Hi, Reggie is in the living room. By the way, what's your name?"

"My name is Troy Howard,"

"My name is Mr. Taylor. Let's go into the living room where I can formally introduce you to Reggie."

I followed Mr. Taylor into the living room. When we walked in, Reggie was playing a Mario Brothers game from his wheelchair. When he saw me, he quit playing the game and lost. He seemed more interested in having a friend than playing the game.

"Reggie, this is Troy Howard," Mr. Taylor said.

"Hi, Troy; are you ready to play."

"Sure,"

While Reggie took his turn playing the game, I noticed that the living room was more for accessibility than comfort. The couch and the two recliners were against the walls. The TV was on the opposite wall from the sofa, and the wooden floors had no carpet or area rugs.

We played video games for an hour. While playing games, I learned that Reggie was much like me. While we played, Reggie talked about the things that interested him. He liked to watch sports on TV and collect baseball cards. Since we shared the same interest in sports, I knew we would become friends.

Time flew, and I had to go home. I thanked the Taylors for having me over. I said that I would be over the next day. Reggie smiled and knew he had a friend.

When I got home, my parents were in the kitchen, and dinner was on the table. After we sat down to eat, I told my mom and dad all about Reggie. My parents were pleased that I was open-minded about making friends with someone with a disability. My dad told me that he had a friend who was blind when he was my age.

I spent the rest of the summer with Reggie. My other friends were not open to making friends with him, and my mom told me they would eventually come around. I just needed to give them time.

Fall arrived, and it was time to go back to school. I noticed that the school now had a wheelchair ramp and a small elevator. When I went to class, I saw Reggie. When I asked my teacher, Ms. Duncan, if I could sit by him, she smiled and said I could.

My mom was right about my other friends eventually accepting Reggie. He participated in classroom activities, and Reggie played with us during recess.

I also discovered that Reggie loved to spend time in the library to learn about different baseball players. Reggie's baseball heroes were Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, and Mickie Mantle.

I don't think that Reggie thought a lot about being disabled. He had his interests and goals in life. The wheelchair was a tool to help him be mobile and do the things he wanted to do

Those days are gone now, and Reggie and I are adults. Reggie and I parted ways after we graduated from high school. He went to college and became a computer programmer, while I went to medical school and became a pediatrician.

Reggie is now married and has two kids. He programs computers in hospitals near where he lives.

We still keep in touch through e-mail even though we live thousands of miles apart. Reggie still loves to inform me about his new baseball heroes.