Jon’s teacher just phoned in with a tale of Jon’s day. Usually she sends it home in a book that we exchange news and notices in, but today demanded a phone call.

He got 100% on his spelling and reading tests, and has moved on to the next book and typing list. Super.

But wait, there’s more. Jon called for a bathroom visit (known as “Health Care” at the school) just before lunch, and since he was there while the rest of the school stampeded–well, mostly roll-peded– to the cafeteria, the school halls were like a ghost town. His teacher decided that now would be a good time for someone to practice wheeling his own chair.

Now, Jon is not known for wheeling. He refuses to do it for us and will do little practice at school, but has been observed to do it from time to time in cases of extreme–um– desire. One of our first visits to the wheelchair clinic saw Jon, bored with the discussion, wheel towards an unexplored exit by expertly slaloming around a number of people and two wheelchairs parked in the centre of the room. Many slack jaws. The other night at a booklaunch he suddenly pulled a 180 on Mom and headed for the door, perfectly aligned. There was the time at school when he and a classmate “disappeared”…but I digress.

Anyway, today was practice. Jon slowly made it to the cafeteria under the heavy encouragement . He made it and dug into a big lunch. And given that they were late for lunch, the teacher allowed him to stay a little later…meaning the halls were once again clear! And off they went to the library, about another 80 yards away. After library, hey! The halls were clear again. Jon wheeled back to class, at the far end of the hallway, looking a wee bit tired.

Today was Picture Day, and just as he arrived at the classroom, the class got the call to go for their photos, in the enclosed courtyard all the way back near the library. The teacher swung Jon’s chair back around, facing the long hallway. At which point Jon looked up and groaned “Oh god.”

His first epithet. (At which point they reassured him that they’d push, he didn’t have to do it again.)