Charlotte came into the workroom to put her violin away.
She found Emil reading a letter. She climbed up to where she could talk to him. "Another letter from Holly?" she asked.
Emil looked up. "Yes," he said. "She's found another new activity she can do with Sam."
Charlotte remembered that Holly was the doll who was in the doll hospital when Emil was there and that Sam was the human girl Holly lives with. Charlotte knew that Holly and Sam both use a wheelchair to get around. She also remembered that Holly was unable to walk, even when no one is watching, and that was why she uses a wheelchair.
"Wasn't she playing wheelchair basketball?" Charlotte asked.
Emil nodded and looked back at the letter. "Yes," he said, "and she's still doing that, but she and Sam have found another thing to do together."
"I just finished reading the letter," Emil said, "but if you want, you can read it, too." He handed the letter to Charlotte.
Charlotte began to read.
Dear Emil,
You will never guess what Sam and I did this week! We are still playing wheelchair basketball, and I'm getting pretty good in the class for dolls. They have even put me on a team, but we are doing some other interesting things, too.
This week Sam was invited to help with a program that teaches children and older students who can walk what it's like to use a wheelchair to get around. I got to go along.
We met at the library with the children and their parents. An adult person explained to everyone how the wheelchairs work. Sam and I know all that, of course, but it was interesting to watch the children learn about it.
Sam said a few things about what using a wheelchair is like for her. After Sam and the other human person who uses a wheelchair had talked to the group, they answered questions some of the children had. Then each child received a wheelchair to use for the day. They had some time to practice in the library. That way they could see what it's like when that's how you get around.
Real human children don't have to climb up the bookshelves to get the book they want when no one is looking, the way dolls do.
They just stand on the floor and take the book when they find what they want. It was new for these children to have trouble reaching something up high.
Getting a drink from the drinking fountain is hard for a human person in a wheelchair unless there is a special drinking fountain. The library didn't have a drinking fountain for dolls, but they had one that was low enough for someone using a wheelchair.
Sam held me up to the special drinking fountain, so I could pretend to get a drink. She had to lift me out of my wheelchair, so she could put my mouth close to the water. No one lifts Sam out of her wheelchair when she needs a drink, and Sam needs to drink water for real, not pretend, so she usually keeps a water bottle with her.
Sam showed some of the children how to open the door to the restroom. Then she rolled out of the way and let them do it for themselves.
There were other things to learn to do in the restroom, like reaching the soap.
The towels to dry your hands were very high up, too.
Then you have to get out of the restroom! The door opens the other way now, so you have to pull on it and keep your wheelchair out of the way.
Everywhere you go all day long, there are doors. Some are very heavy. Sometimes there's a big button you push, and the door opens for you before you even get close, but when there's no big button, you have to figure out how to open it or get help. Sam told the children that she prefers it if other people only help when she asks. Sometimes people want to be helpful and do things for you that you can do for yourself. She likes to do as much as she can all by herself.
Sam and the other children got to go out to lunch together, and their parents had to deal with getting them into the car and out again, and taking the wheelchairs with them. Everyone had a good time, so it was worth the extra effort.
Sam put me on the table while they ate. She let me pretend to eat some of her lunch.
I got a lot of attention, because most of the children had never seen a doll in a wheelchair before.
I really like that Sam and I got to do this. These children didn't know what it's like for a child or adult in a wheelchair before, and now they do. They have learned that human people who have to use a wheelchair are real people, just like them. Next time they see a person in a wheelchair, they won't stare or be afraid. They understand that all people are different from each other, and this is just one way someone can be different.
Thank you for passing along what Jolena told you about the winter sports someone who uses a wheelchair can do, and thank her for me, too. It was very interesting. Maybe I will try some of those things next winter. Tell her good luck at her next ski competition!
I hope you have been having a great summer!
Your friend,
Holly
Charlotte looked up from the letter. "That's really interesting," she said. "I didn't know that real children might be frightened if they see someone who has to use a wheelchair."
"That was a surprise to me, too," Emil agreed. "Why would you be afraid of someone sitting in a chair that rolls?"
"I guess there are lots of things about real children we need to learn," Charlotte said. "For instance, I was just thinking it must be hard for them to have to use a wheelchair if they aren't used to it. They don't have the difficulties dolls have to deal with, like opening doors and climbing stairs!"
"I think," Emil pointed out, "there are a lot of things about dolls children don't know."
"Yes," Charlotte said. "They probably think we just sit where they left us. Maybe they think we don't do anything all day except wait for them to come home and play with us!"
"Holly certainly doesn't sit around waiting for Sam to come home," Emil agreed. "She does what she enjoys doing, she just uses her wheelchair when she has to move around."
Emil and Charlotte thought about what it must be like to stay all day long right where you were left. Wouldn't that be boring!
Charlotte: Götz Happy Kidz Anna in Paris
Emil: Götz Happy Kidz Emilia
"The Doll's Storybook" is not affiliated with Gotz Dolls USA Inc. or Götz Puppenmanufaktur International GmbH.
Watch for the next story each Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM Pacific Time.
Like our Facebook page: The Doll's Storybook
<a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blog/19832501/?claim=j3fj3mbb8kt">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
Copyright © 2021 by Peggy Stuart
No comments:
Post a Comment