NOTE### I am now going to write a story about how Shawn came to live at my home. It will have its similarities to the one about Josh but also differences. Shawn came to live in the home after Josh. As always these stories are fiction. Any resemblance that it bears to actual persons, places or events is coincidental.
I got acquainted with Shawn's family soon after they moved into the neighborhood. This actually was before Josh arrived to live with me. When Josh arrived he became fast friends with Shawn. They had a disability in common. I don't mean that they had the same disability, they didn't. I mean that both had something that disabled them. Shawn was in a wheelchair, a power one, due to a disability that acted much like muscular dystrophy. His parents had one other daughter who was a few years older than Shawn. She had her own health problems, none as devastating as Shawn's though.
Then came the phone call. I was sitting in the living room with Josh on my lap when it rang. I gently put Josh down on the floor and got up and rushed to the phone to catch it before the person hung up. "Hello." I said. "Steve, this is Mrs. Park your neighbor."
"Oh hello. How are you?" I asked. I really didn't care for the women that much. She babied Shawn and also spent way too much time on her hair and nails for the results she seemed to get. "Well at the moment I'm kind of stuck." She said. "Well what can I do to help?" I asked.
"Well Mr. Park and I have to go out of town and we were able to have our daughter stay with a friend. However, we could not find a sitter for Shawn. Do you think that you could stay with him?" She asked. At this point I seriously wondered how hard she had tried and furthermore, what she would do if I said No.
I thought for a second. "Well I'd have to bring Josh with me." I told her. "That's fine. He can sleep in our daughter's room and you can sleep in ours." She said. "Ok when do you need me there?" I asked. "As soon as you can. We have to leave and there are a few things you need to know about Shawn's care."
This kind of irritated me. I had taken care of Josh for almost a year now. I was not a moron but I decided to hold my tongue. "I'll be over as soon as I can." I told her. I hung up the phone and immediately went and packed a bag for both Josh and me. Then we headed out of the house and across the yard and into the neighbors yard. We walked up the ramp onto the porch and up to the door. I rung the doorbell which was promptly answered by a tall man in his 40's. He ushered us into the house and stuck his hand out. "Hi, I'm Reginald Park. You must be Steve."
"Yes sir I am." I said. He smiled and said I know you've met my wife and son. This is my daughter." He said showing me a redheaded girl. She was holding a bag in her hand and she smiled at me. "Hi sir."
After the pleasantries were handled Mrs. Park emerged from the back. "Shawn is back in his room. Can't tear him away from that computer. I've left a note about what you need to do. We need to go." I wished them a good weekend and they left. I turned to Josh and raised my eyebrows. "Glad she's gone dad." He said. "Yes Josh I am."
"Well I guess I better go talk with Shawn." I said to Josh. He nodded and sat down in a chair. I walked down the short hallway and into a back sitting room that was outside of Shawn's bedroom. I walked into his room. He was sitting with his back to me looking at his computer screen. When I walked in he stopped what he was doing turned and greeted me.
"Hi Shawn. Why don't you come out here for a bit we need to talk about your needs and my expectations."