Stuck In The Box: Graduation Day

Chapter 2: Those Were The Best Days Of Our Lives

It is now graduation day and there is a schedule for the program. The Wild Boys, now donning their high school varsity jackets for the event, are at the courtyard. "Guys, I'm nervous, can't believe we'll walk around the campus," Kim said. "And after that, Paul has to give a speech," Marc said. "Oh yeah," Paul said. Just thinking about that, Paul just looked down. "What's up?" Tony asked. "Part of the speech I'm giving is how our school doesn't handle bullies well and only certain teachers care about those who are disabled or not English or white," Paul said. "Oh yeah, I remembered some 12-year-old making fun of my stammer and accent and nobody's taking care of that," Jim said. "Geez mate, that sucks," David said. "I know," Jim said. "At least I can do my A-levels despite my dyslexia but I have to be isolated," Roger said.

"Same," Marc said. "So, what's the schedule again?" Siobhan asked. "The first is the graduation parade, where all the graduates will just walk around the campus while the leaders will hold the flag and the teachers will be behind us. After that, the graduation certificates will be handed out and then I'll deliver the speech," Paul said. "How long will that take?" Curt asked. "Until lunch, the morning ceremony will start at 10 o'clock around the court until 12 o'clock," Paul said. "And the afternoon ceremony will be at the auditorium," Michael said. "And that's where our performances will take place," Vicki said. "Derek, Paul, Marc, Keebs, Gary (Kemp), Jez, Steve (Askew), Howard, Billy, Tim, Kirk, Garry, Kim, Michael, Vicki, it's time for you to go," Mr McCartney said.

"Oh, we gotta go now," Howard said. "We'll see you on the bleachers, good luck," Mick said. The older Wild Boys then went with the other graduates while the younger ones went to the bleachers. "So, this is where we'll sit, right?" Mick asked. "Yup, shorties at the front, tall ones at the back," Tony said. "Oh come on, I wish I wasn't this short," Nik said. "You can't help it, your pituitary gland was affected by your autoimmune disorder," Terry said. Everyone sat down and waited for the parade to start. "Will there be a marching band?" Jon asked. "Of course there will be, I was the drummer for that band once but left because the members were bullies," Larry said. "Why would they bully such an innocent soul?" Bono asked. "For many things, this hairstyle, my cystic fibrosis, basically everything about me," Larry said.

"Honestly I really like your hairstyle," Adam said. "Yeah, you look so adorable, Larry," Siobhan said. "Not to mention, you're more than your illness, I mean, look at me, I'm on oxygen because I kept on getting POTS episodes but I'm still living life," Bono said. "As someone who is well physically disabled, we shouldn't be letting our disabilities get in the way," David said. "Speaking of that, I think I can modify your wheelchair, I just need to think about what to do with it," Nicky said as he took out his sketchbook. "He does that?" David asked. "Yeah, he's an Engineering student, he actually modified my cane," Hutch said, showing David his cane. He demonstrated how it can turn from a regular stick to a cane and a staff. "Wow, that's pretty cool," David said.

"And he also modified our hearing aids," Curt said as he adjusted the volume of his hearing aids. Curt can hear the marching band from a distance. "There are 5 people, Curt, Bono, Larry, Martin and Gary, in our team who are deaf so when they adjust the volume of their hearing aids, they have the same powers as Paul," Simon said. "What sort of powers does Paul have?" Gary (Webb) asked. "Enhanced hearing," Nena said. "Wow," Gary (Webb) said. "And I also made portable oxygen concentrators that act as a belt pack so that we don't have to pull around oxygen tanks all the time," Nicky said, showing his oxygen concentrator. "Counting you, David, since you're also on oxygen, there are 13 of us who are on oxygen, including those who need it at night or sporadically," Simon said.

"Yeah, there's Curt, due to pulmonary fibrosis, Simon due to blood loss thanks to haemophilia, Nicky due to severe asthma and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, John due to pulmonary fibrosis, asthma and heart defects, Roger due to respiratory failure caused by his mitochondrial disorder, Andy due to respiratory failure due to being poisoned by a red-eyed Halargian, Bono due to frequent POTS episodes, Larry due to cystic fibrosis, Hutch due to his brain lacking oxygen, Bryan due to slight pulmonary fibrosis because of the pulmonary edema while he had diabetic ketoacidosis and Richard due to interstitial lung disease," Roland said. "That's a lot of illnesses, but more than the disorders Marc had, he has autism, dyslexia, OCD, asthma and bronchitis," David said.