Jules on Wheels

A small blue house stands at the edge of the village. A boy named Jules lives there with his parents and older siblings. But it’s no ordinary house. If you ever visited it, you would notice several unusual details. For instance, the entrance is accessed not by stairs but by a ramp. And there isn’t a single step or staircase in the whole place. On the contrary, there’s a lot of open space inside — wide hallways and doors without thresholds.

Why is this blue house so special? Well, it has been adapted to accommodate Jules, so that he doesn’t have to deal with any obstacles at home. Jules, a blue-eyed, fair-haired boy, moves about in a wheelchair. Without thresholds and stairs to overcome, the youngster can wander freely wherever he wants to go, including heading outside, which he values greatly.

Jules loves going into the village, and does so every chance he gets. He turns the wheels on his chair slowly, noticing even the smallest details along the way. He looks at the houses, fences, gardens, garages, pavements, and all that is happening on the streets.

It’s Saturday afternoon, and Jules has convinced his sister Daisy to go for a short walk. Jules is happy to manage by himself, but occasionally he runs into obstacles, like an incorrectly parked car or a crack in the pavement. And for those things, he’s grateful to have Daisy’s help.

It is really hot outside, so Jules packed a bottle of water in his backpack. He flung the backpack behind his chair. In addition, he brought a waterproof poncho, a few hygiene items, and some snacks.

“Daisy, please step it up!” he cried. (Jules liked going fast when Daisy was doing the pushing.) She gripped the handles…