Scott's Journey

By Christine O. McElhattan

Come with me and explore how a very ill nine-year-old sees the world. His heart's desire to lead nine kids to Jesus.

Can a young boy in a wheelchair reach kids for Jesus? Will kids even listen to this young boy? Who will win the chance to play the piano for the President of the United States? 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Apr 16, 2024
• ISBN: 9798890416421

Christine O. McElhattan

Christine worked as a leader for the Pioneer Girls Children's Club for twenty-four years, helping them to walk with God and with life skills each week. Also, for a week each summer for 12 years, she was a kids' camp counselor within the district summer camps for her local church serving as an overnight mom to the girls, as well as taking them to chapel and sports each day. Christine and her husband, along with their golden retriever, reside in the White Mountains of New Hampshire on a Christian campground.

Book preview

Norman’s Book Report

I used to think I knew all the reasons why kids don’t have their homework. Like that time when Norman told Mr. Bailey he dropped his books in a mud puddle because two motorbikes chased a weird kid on a bicycle. The kid was coming down the street on the bicycle and circled around Norman. By that time, the motorbikes arrived, they couldn’t slow down. So they slammed on their brakes and skidded up to Norman, knocking his books off the curb just when the street cleaner was coming by. The cleaner swept his books along Plasse drive all the way to the sewer drain, which is quite a ways away.

It really had been raining last night, he said.

All of his book report was tossed and turned and completely eaten up by the alligators that live in the sewer. Well, this time tops the cake! For one thing, Sassi came to class late. Mr. Bailey hates that. Anyway, The Wade (really, his name is Anthony Wade, but he’s so tall we nick-named him The Wade) had his leg stuck out the side of his desk as if to trip someone. Sassi never did see it, and the next thing we knew, all the tomato soup in her thermos was everywhere except inside it. So, Mr. Bailey was not in a good mood today. You have to admit hot tomato soup smells good when you’re hungry. Myra had just finished reading her book report. We all knew it was Norman’s turn next cause Mr. Bailey goes in alphabetical order by first names, not last names.

Norman Jameson, you’re next.

Ring…ring…ring…pause…ring…ring…ring…pause…ring…ring…ring…pause…ring…ring…ring…pause….

Okay, class, this is an official fire drill. Row number four, would you close your windows, please? And row number one, yours. I want you all to line up row by row in order, and remember, no talking. Well, I’d better let Norman tell you the rest since it was his book report in the first place.

Norman said, "I decided to bring my report outside with me because you know how Mr. Bailey gets if you forget your homework too many times.

"‘Norman,’ he says, ‘you’d better have your hands limbered up. That will be three days of detention, and I want a hundred times each day.’

"‘I will not forget my homework.’

This had to be handwritten, not typed out on the school computer. We were all lined up outside. Well, here comes this dog. A big muddy thing, and he was running kinda fast. The cat he was chasing decided to come in between us. I mean our row and row number two. SallieAnn felt sorry for it and picked up this cat. The muddy dog came plowing through next to me towards SallieAnn. Well, my report got knocked out of my hand and blown across to the kick ball field. Next, it went nearly into the bleachers and hit the fence. The dumb cat got scared, scratched SallieAnn, jumped, and ran for the fence. Finally, the dog got to the fence where the cat was. The fence had my homework stuck on it, and that muddy dog was pawing it. By the time that dog got tired, my homework was pulverized by his paws and that fence. And that’s how the fence ate my book report.

Norman, Mr. Bailey replied, perhaps you could bring another copy of it in for us tomorrow. Try to be more careful, please. This is the third book report in a row you’ve had accidents with. I never knew fences could eat homework. Especially considering they don’t even have any teeth. Well, that’s all the time we have for today. Class is dismissed.

Saturday morning.

Mom? Could I have the box top from Captain Aquarium cereal?

Yes, Leon, but after the box is empty.

Hey, Sandi, how about some more cereal?

No way, Leon! I’m eating Curtsey Dougal. She plays Duck Duck Goose and taught me How to See My Playmate.

Oh, Sandi! It’s ‘Say, say, oh playmate, come out and play with me,’ not ‘see my playmate.’

Oh, brother! Now you’ve got me singing it.

Leon?

Yes, Mom?

Don’t forget to weed your two rows in the garden. I noticed your pumpkin is doing really well, but the beans need their weeds out.

Oh, all right, Mom, but can I go to Gazebos park right after ‘cause Norman and Wade are gonna finish their basketball game (one on one)? So far, The Wade hasn’t been beaten yet. However, Norman is gonna try.

Okay, Leon. His mom continued, Say, did he ever bring in his book report yesterday?

Uh-huh, it was about a guy named Beethoven and how he made symphonies and finished the last one while deaf.

By about eleven, it was tied between Norman and Wade. A bunch of us kids were all hanging around the basketball court, cheering all sorts of stuff for each player. This park is huge, so there’s plenty of room. Well, finally, they called a truce and said who ever gets the next basket wins. It wasn’t long, and score! Wade got his basket. Everyone was shouting and congratulating Wade, our undefeated one-on-one basketball champion (for fourth graders) in Gazebos Park. Suddenly, we noticed a cool kid with wheels. Norman and I both slapped our hands, shouted, Captain Aquarium, and did the official Captain Aquarium hand shake. We both new anyone with a big picture of Captain Aquarium on their wheels was the coolest. The next thing we knew, he joined right in, said, Captain Aquarium, and offered us the official handshake.

So…, he says to Norman. Are you Norman or Wade? I heard all kinds of shouting but wasn’t sure which was which. You played a great game, though.

I’m Norman, and this is Leon.

Well, my name is Scott. Did you see yesterday’s episode where Captain Aquarium saved those two kids from the broken roller coaster?

Yes! Yes! Norman and I answered. Wasn’t it just great?

Scott, are you collecting the Captain Aquarium cereal box tops for the official state-of-the-art Captain Aquarium backpack.

Oh, definitely, he replied. I’ve only eight more to go. How many do you have, Leon?

"I’ve got four, and Norman’s got five. So I’ve only twelve more to go. You’re lucky; only eight more to go.

Norman says, Scott, are you working on a science project or what? Or are you one of those who actually do their homework on a Saturday? Well, what’s with the science book anyway?

Actually, replied Scott, it’s neither. You see, I’m working on my critters badge. I belong to a Pathfinders Club that meets every Tuesday after school. Anyhow, we get to do cool stuff and earn badges for it. Do you want to help me? Look, here it says, ‘Watch two wild animals, follow the animals around, but don’t touch them. Move slowly and carefully; be very quiet. Write down what happens.’

Well, I don’t know about you, Scott. I mean, if it says watch two animals, and you were just watching The Wade and me play basketball. Do you think we’re animals, too, or what? said Norman.

Scott, looking at Leon, says, Is he always like this?

Uh-huh, Leon replied. Last week, he told Mr. Bailey the fence ate his book report.

Wow, replied Scott. Maybe you should be an author, Norman. You think of the most interesting things. Actually, what happened was I came to Gazebo’s park today to watch squirrels or something because the only thing on TV was 2,000 episodes of Curtsey Dougal. Pretty soon, I heard lots of cheering, so I came over to see what was happening. I really like basketball so I decided to watch the rest of your game. If you look in my book, I didn’t write anything yet, so…I guess that means you are not an animal. How about the official Captain Aquarium handshake, and we will all be friends and leave the animals in the zoo?

So we all did the official handshake and agreed to be friends.

I see some kids feeding the ducks over in the pond. We could go watch them if you want to, replied Leon.

Yeah! Okay! answered Scott.

Okay, Scott, says Norman. Maybe you really are a fourth grader. How come I never see you at the library? Everyone knows fourth graders have to do book reports. Especially Mr. Bailey’s class; he gives loads of them. And how come I never see you in the school cafeteria? Are you one of those who never eats or what?

Norman, Scott replies, I am a fourth grader too, and I’ve still got to do book reports. My dad drops me off at the downtown library near where he works, and Mom picks me up later on ‘cause it’s got a better computer for my history reports and better research for my science projects. My reports have to be two or three pages long, typed and double-spaced, and usually a book I’ve never read before. I don’t eat in your cafeteria because I go to a different school.

Whoa. Time out, Scott, exclaimed Norman. Cancel that last line. You can’t go to another school cause Castle City only has one school for the fourth graders. Boy, you’d better get your act together, or the truant officer is gonna catch you big time. Just like on that Captain Aquarium episode where those kids had to go to school all summer, including Saturdays, for two years because they skipped so much. Boy, are you gonna get it when Mr. Bailey gets a hold of you. You’ll have more detention than I’ve ever seen.

Norman, Leon, have you ever heard of homeschooling? asked Scott.

You mean Mr. Bailey comes to your house after he’s done with us? gasped Norman. Oh boy! Imagine Mr. Bailey and my mom. I’d never have any free time. I’d always be stuck doing dumb book reports, and we don’t even have a fence to help eat them. At least we leave him at school when we’re done. Does he make you watch Courtsey Dougal?

No, Norman, Scott began to answer, he does not make me watch Courtsey Dougal, and he doesn’t come to my house after teaching school to you guys. Homeschooling is just like regular school, only it’s at home, and my parents are the teachers. My dad teaches me science and history, and my mom English and mathematics. My dad checks all my book reports and listens to me recite stuff. Oh, and my aunt teaches me piano and Polish. My mom says it’s our heritage; we’ve got to keep our beautiful language in the family.

Do you ever play anything written by Beethoven? asked Norman.

Oh, yes, definitely, answered Scott. I take advantage of my piano ‘cause it’s one the things I can do, and it doesn’t matter about my legs and this dumb chair. My mom says, ‘Focus on what you can do instead of I can’t do this or can’t do that.’ Every once in a while, when I’m not too ill, my dad takes me to the nursing home by the library, and we play for the folks there.

Wow, that’s really cool, Scott! says Norman. I never get to do that sort of thing. We just play at our recitals. Sometimes, I get to play at school, but that’s not too often.

Well, I’d guess we’re done now, said Scott. We’ve got down about the ducks, some squirrels, and that collie chasing the white cat across the basketball court over the fence and up that oak tree. Do you want to help me with the rest of this badge?

Yes, okay, Norman and Leon replied. Let’s meet here again tomorrow.

Oh, I can’t tomorrow cause it’s Sunday, and we have church, and my mom made plans tomorrow afternoon, replied Scott. How about Monday after school? We’ll meet here then go to my house and finish up the reading. I’ve got some great encyclopedias at home, and we can watch Captain Aquarium afterward.

So, with that, we all did the official Captain Aquarium handshake and went home.

A New Chapter Called

Sunday School

Are you serious, Scott? Mary had asked him. How can you have Sunday school with no Sunday school teacher?

Well, Scott replied, how many of you, when you get home, Mom or Dad say, ‘Well, tell me what you learned in Sunday school. Be sure to put your memory verse on the refrigerator so we can get an early start on it Monday morning’? Several kids raised their hands. It’s all settled, then. Mary Jo, you pick out the memory verse for next week, and Bobby, you do the altar call. I’ll tell the Bible story this week. And we can swap off turns week by week until we get a new teacher. How about a memory verse game? Who wants to do that?

Oh, I will, said Ashley. My mom teaches super church and has a whole book of games. We can play the eraser game for today.

The ride home from church.

Scott, what did you learn in Sunday school?

Well, Mom, we read that story about the lepers and how only one was thankful, and the other nine were not. Oh, yes, some new girl named Sassi gave her heart to Jesus in the altar call today.

Monday at school.

We were all copying our math problems from the chalkboard. All of a sudden, both Myra and Sassi had to get their pencils sharpened.