Baby Blackbirds is what we call the wheelchair accessible bus that transports those campers who come to Chippewa and require the accessibility the little bus offers. Usually it's just one counselor (this week me) and the camper requiring the accessible bus, so we like to have kids from the big Blackbirds bus come over for the ride to socialize. It usually makes for a fun time.
On our way home from camp today, my Bus Buddy and I on Baby Blackbirds hosted the presence of three girls she met during her day. These girls were pretty excited to ride Baby Blackbirds with us, but at first this was for superficial reasons. Lots of kids see riding the little bus as if it were a ride at Wonderland... they don't care about the friend on the bus who wouldn't have any campers to talk to if they were not there, they see it as a status symbol... "I was good and I get to ride Baby Blackbirds, go me!".
The 4 girls (my Bus Buddy and her new amigos) got along well at first, talking about all the special things they each did at camp today. All 4 went swimming, and all 4 went canoeing. 3 of them made tie-dye shirts/bandannas, and they all showed each other their creations. It got quiet for a bit, and the three amigos began talking amongst themselves, about what they like to do for fun at home. One girl enjoys painting, while another enjoys playing her Wii. The third is a fan of skateboarding, and after announcing this the other two girls pipe up saying they liked skateboarding too. "Do you??", she said to my Bus Buddy. One very vocal girl then said: "Of course she doesn't, she can't do that in a wheelchair!!". One of the other three girls went on to say that skateboarding isn't so great after all, and she'd rather have a wheelchair so she wouldn't have to walk across camp or up stairs anymore. "Man, you're so lucky".
Bus Buddy wouldn't have any this. Thank goodness she is one smart, informed, feisty cookie, because she so brilliantly took this situation under her guard and told the three girls exactly what is like to have a disability where one is dependent on a wheelchair. She started it with this: "WOAH, WOAH, WOAH! Guys, you're very wrong. Even though having a wheelchair is crappy, not fun, people in wheelchairs can still do everything anyone else can". The three girls were intrigued.
She explained to them about her condition, Cerebra Palsy. She told them people with Cerebral Palsy can look like a whole lot of different things, from verbal to non-verbal, to a person who uses crutches to a person who uses a wheelchair, a person who can write with a pencil neatly to a person who has a scribe or uses a computer. All of these people are capable in specific ways, though. She also went on to describe how she does certain things. Like getting in to bed..."I either crawl, or I get my mom to help me, or I get my sister to help me too". And she went on to talk about the challenges she faces when she has to get her wheelchair fixed.."it isn't overnight guys, ok. It usually takes at least 3 days". And what it's like in the winter...."I mean, if there's a snow storm, I can't go anywhere if people don't shovel the snow". My Bus Buddy held her audience captive for 25 minutes of describing what her life is like, both good things and bad, and then held a question period for the girls if they had any lingering curiosities.
My Bus Buddy is one spectacular girl. I held back tears in the moment as I recognized how mature, knowledgeable, and sensitive this going-into-grade-seven camper really is. She never showed any signs of frustration, annoyance, or judgment to the things said or questions asked by the three girls. Quite simply, she wanted to debunk any misinformation the girls had about her or her disability, or anyone else with similar disabilities. I was so proud of her and the class she brought to the situation. How lucky for me that I got to witness and mediate this amazing conversation
It was remarkable.
(I am still going to smoke her at the "Sit Down Dancing Competition" on Friday. Sadly she will not accept this).
And that is what happened on the Baby Blackbirds bus on the way home from camp today.
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