What To Do Before The Teacher Comes Back
20x16
$240.00

This painting is of Jamie, paralyzed by polio from below his chest. After the teacher left the classroom one day, Jamie was goofing around in a regular desk chair. He was trying to catch a paper plane, but his right leg fell off the seat while the other one stayed. The momentum swung the limber leg behind him so much that the latch of his braces locked it straight at the knee. This brought his pelvic band forward, causing his upper body to fall down, catching the floor with his hands. Jamie’s braces went up to his pelvis with a pelvic band, and if you don’t know anything about braces, the pelvic band swung with his leg and pressed on his lower back so he could not sit back up in his seat. Therefore, Jamie had to unlock his braces with the leg behind him to bring it forward and up with his hand. At least now, the pelvic band was not resting on his back. He released his leg so he could push on the desktop to try to sit up. However, after a few seconds in pushing his upper body up the same paralyzed leg fell and again flung behind him with his braces locking his knee straight. Again, the pelvic band pushed him forward with his hands catching him and with his other leg still on the desk chair. He tried several attempts like this, but with the same results, with everybody laughing at his awkward predicament and him laughing, too. He was trying to get up before our teacher returned from taking another kid to the principal’s office, but how could he sit, up with his leg and pelvic band like a seesaw! He suddenly got an idea! He used his other hand to push on the desktop and rose cautiously, putting the troublesome leg on the seat. At the same time, his limber and paralyzed back folded into an arch, to be straightened out when he unlocked his braces at the knee and yanked his useless leg forward, and up with his hand just before the teacher came back.