Date: Sat, 18 Jul 2009 09:12:55 -0400
From: Scribe 1971 <scribe1971@hotmail.com>
Subject: Substitute Dad Chapter 41

Hello readers!  I'll be you didn't expect to hear from me again so soon.
Along with David, my faithful editor, I've been hard at work on this
chapter and I hope you like it.  It covers a lot of ground and perhaps
gives you a hint of what is to come.  A few quick notes...."the commercial"
that the guys see was a real commercial for Bell Mobility and I've been
trying hard to find a copy of it with no luck.  If anyone knows of where I
can find a clip of that online, I'd appreciate hearing from you.



Scribe's Playlist for this chapter:



"Life is a Highway" by Tom Cochrane

"Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol

"Hero" by Mariah Carey (Think about the lyrics of this song when you read
about Josh and Selly)



Chapter 41 -- Glimpsing the Future

The welcome home party broke up around nine that night.  Throughout the
festivities, Brutus continued to stick close to Richard and Matthew.  It
was almost a sad moment when they had to say goodbye as the boys got into
James and Anne's car to go home.  When the last of the guests had left,
Brutus walked from one to another of us -- finally deciding to lie by
Susan's feet.

"Good choice Brutus," she said with a smile as she gave him a little
scratch behind the ear.

When the last of the guests left, we forced ourselves to unload the Jeep
and then we crashed for the night.  It was wonderful being back in my own
bed in my own house for the first time in a couple of months.  It was even
nicer having Bryan next to me.  As our bedroom activities subsided, he
agreed with me - we were soul mates -- to always be there for one another
whenever possible.

Waking up in the morning with my arm across his chest and his arm around my
shoulder felt even more comforting until Brutus jumped up on the bed and
gave both of us a tongue bath.  Right behind him was Josh and Mark standing
at the door with big smiles.

"Hard night huh?"  Mark said smiling.  "What a pair of lazys.  Josh,
Brutus, and I have already finished our morning five K run and you two are
still in bed."

"Morning boys," Bryan said smiling.  "What time is it?"

"Almost seven o'clock."  Josh replied.

"You went running too Josh?"  I asked.

"Yeah Dad, I want to get in shape for the Terry Fox run.... remember?"

"Oooo, right!  Alright guys, if you can get Brutus off the bed, we'll get
up."  I said laughing.

Bryan and I hit the bathroom; circling around each other as we took turns
at the shower, the sink, and the porcelain throne.

It was Labour Day, so Bryan, Mark, Josh, and I decided to have some fun
before Bryan and Mark had to be at the airport.  The Canadian National
Exhibition (CNE) was still going on at the CNE grounds and the annual Air
Show was to take place that afternoon.

After eating a great breakfast with Susan, Josh and I put our gear from the
trip away, then the four of us headed to the Exhibition.  We all piled into
the Jeep and headed downtown.  Much to my relief, Bryan took the wheel and
gave me a well-deserved break from driving.

He surprised me when he went a few blocks off the direct route, but we knew
where he was headed.  He slowed the Jeep to a crawling idle as we went by
Mark and Bryan's old house.  There was a for sale sign posted on the
unkempt lawn, the windows were bare and the house appeared empty.

"Fuckin' asshole."  Bryan said quietly.

Mark giggled quietly.  "Off into his own sunset."

"On that, I think we all agree," Josh added.

"You want me to find out what happened?"  I asked Bryan.

Bryan took a deep breath and sighed.  "No," he said almost in a whisper and
a wink.  "I already know.  I took the liberty of phoning Darren after you
left Calgary and asked if he'd keep an eye on the old man and let me know
if he heard of anything that happened to him.  He.... uh.... got into a
fight at a bar and died two weeks ago, actually right after you left
Calgary.  Darren was great.... he arranged a pine box funeral that the city
does for welfare folks and street crawlers.... the old man didn't have a
penny to his name.  I called the landlord and he said he'd call it even if
he could have all the furniture and other stuff.  Mark and I didn't want
any of it."

"Bryan I'm so sorry I wasn't here for you," I said.

"Tom, don't be," he said.  "Mark and I are over all that shit.  We're
actually relieved.  The important thing about this whole thing is that you
were here at the right time for Mark and that's all that counts," he
concluded as he sped up and headed for the CNE.

The Exhibition Grounds are located on the shores of Lake Ontario on the
west side of downtown Toronto.  To the north, the CN Tower and the rest of
the city skyline towers above.  The CNE is the world's largest annual fair
and it includes static displays from the military, emergency services,
companies, clubs and organizations along with a whole lot of amusement
rides.  You can also cross a bridge over Lakeshore Boulevard to Ontario
Place which features even more rides and exhibits including an IMAX
theatre.  The CNE runs from mid-August until Labour Day each year and on
the last three days, it features the Canadian International Air Show.  It
was the air show that we were primarily interested in.

The air show was scheduled to start at one PM which gave us the better part
of three hours to explore and enjoy some rides.  Mark and Josh conspired to
try to scare the crap out of Bryan and me by taking us on all the scariest
rides they could find.  Of course both Bryan and I were old pros when it
came to amusement park rides and the boys had no luck in their little
scheme.

In between the rides, we visited a number of the buildings including the
automotive building which featured a large agricultural display and the
Coliseum which featured a "Super Dogs" show.  The show featured dogs
running through obstacle courses and doing tricks.

"Brutus and Daisy could probably do that stuff," Josh said.

"No doubt," Mark replied.  "I'm still amazed at how Brutus pulled Richard
out of the water at the lake."

"You should have seen it," I added.  "We just stood there amazed and
watched him do it."

"Daisy has started fetching the paper for me each morning," Bryan said with
a chuckle.  "We didn't teach her how to do it; she just started doing it on
her own.  When she comes back from her morning run with Mark, she picks it
up in her teeth and carries it around until I get up and then she drops it
at my feet."

 "I read that retrievers love to retrieve things," Josh said.  "Brutus
loves playing fetch more than any other game."

"Amazing dogs," I replied. "Who's looking after Daisy while you're here?"
I asked.

"We have a great neighbour, Mr. Senflex.  He's retired and Daisy really
likes him.  He says that it's great because she gets him out walking and
she doesn't pull on the lead when he walks her.  He loves dogs, but he
doesn't want to get another dog at his age."

After we left the Coliseum, we headed over to the Canadian Armed Forces
display.  They boys looked as if they were in Disneyland.  The display
included a Leopard C2 main battle tank, armored personnel carriers, trucks
Jeeps, a Griffon helicopter, a CF-18 fighter and a CT-114 tutor jet in the
Snowbirds paint scheme.  The boys were able to climb inside all of the
vehicles including the jets and there were military personnel all over the
place to answer questions.

One of the vehicles was a Cougar, which was the same type of vehicle that
I'd had my accident in.  I stood and looked quietly at the interior for a
moment when I felt Josh's hand on my shoulder.

"It was one like this that you got hurt in wasn't it?"  He asked softly.

"Yeah, it was.  I was sitting over there," I said and pointed to the
loader's seat.

Josh climbed in and sat down in the loader's seat and looked around.  The
ammunition rack was behind him and the breach for the main gun was in front
of him.

"When it rolled, I banged my head on the ammo rack and I caught my leg in
the cabling down there below the turret," I said while I pointed to the
things that I was describing.

"That's pretty cramped," Bryan said as he and Mark arrived.

"Pretty cool vehicle," Mark said.

"It's the same type that he had his accident in," Josh said.

"Davis?  Is that you?"  A voice said from behind me.

I turned and it took a second to register, but standing in front of me, now
a Warrant Officer, was my former Sergeant and section commander Rob
Phillips. "Sergeant or should I say Warrant Phillips!  It's good to see you
again."

Warrant Officer Phillips snapped to attention and fired off a salute.
"It's nice to see you again too sir," he said.  "I heard about your
settlement and promotion."

"Don't worry about the sir stuff," I said.  "I'm retired."

"And it's too bad too.  You were a damned good soldier and you'd have made
a hell of a platoon commander"

"Thank you Warrant, that means a lot coming from you.  How have you been
since the accident?"

Warrant Phillips held out his right arm and showed us the long scar ending
just below his elbow.  "They put me back together ok, but I've certainly
got the scar to remind me."

We spoke with Warrant Officer Phillips for a few more minutes and they made
our way to the air force section of the display.  We all knew it was what
Mark really wanted to see.

Mark and Josh both got to climb inside the cockpit of the CF-18 hornet jet
and we took pictures of each of them sitting at the controls.  Mark asked
the pilot who was manning the display all sorts of questions and even got
to try on a flight helmet at oxygen mask.

"I really want to fly one of these one day," Mark said.

"If you put your mind to it, I'm sure you will," I replied.

"How do I get started?  I'm going to join Air Cadets, but what else can I
do?"  Mark asked the pilot who had been showing us the aircraft.

"You need to be an officer in order to be a pilot, so your best bet will be
to get accepted into Royal Military College in Kingston after you finish
high school.  I went there myself.  I was class of 1990."

"Is it hard to get accepted?" Mark asked.

"It can be.  They have very high standards and they turn down an average of
25 applicants for each one that gets accepted.  You need to have excellent
marks, be very physically fit, be able to demonstrate leadership and
involvement in team sports and participated in volunteer work.  Air Cadets
will be an excellent start."

"Sounds like you're already on the right track," Bryan said.

"For sure.  You're smart and you can run circles around me," Josh added.

"I really am serious about this.  After we flew those planes I decided I
wanted to be a fighter pilot.  Maybe even become an astronaut like Chris
Hadfield."

"Mark, you can do whatever you set your mind to," I said.

After we finished checking out the CF-18, both boys got to sit side-by-side
in the seats of the CT-114 Tutor jet.  It was an older Canadian designed
aircraft that had until recently been the standard jet trainer for Canadian
fighter pilots.  It had been replaced by the BAE Hawk and was only
currently used by the Snowbirds aerobatic team.

After we finished with the military display, we headed to the food building
and grabbed lunch.  The food building is one of the best parts of the CNE.
The entire building is like a giant food court and you can get just about
any type of food you could imagine there.  The prices were also fantastic.

Bryan and I decided on Fish and Chips, Mark went for spicy Buffalo wings
and Josh had a Mexican taco platter.  Each of us picked up a plastic Coca
Cola polar bear cup for $5.  The reusable cup holds about 750ml of coke and
can be refilled for $1 at any Coke stand within the CNE grounds.  We all
made sure to refill our cups before heading down to the Lakeshore for the
air show.

Being old pros at seeing the air show, we knew that the best seats were on
the Ontario Place side so we crossed the bridge to Ontario Place and headed
towards the air show viewing area.  We found a nice grassy area with plenty
of shade that gave us a perfect view of show center.  The planes would all
perform out over Lake Ontario and we could see a line of police and fire
boats setup keeping other boat traffic out of the area.

The show began with an impressive display of the USAF Thunderbirds.  The
Thunderbirds in their F16 jets performed a breathtaking aerobatic display
that lasted nearly half an hour.  After the Thunderbirds, there were a
number of civilian stunt pilots and a display by a team of pilots flying
restored WWII Royal Canadian Air Force Harvard trainers.  The bright yellow
propeller driven planes made a very distinct noise as they thundered
overhead.

After the Harvards, a USAF B2 Spirit stealth bomber made an appearance
followed by a USAF F15 Eagle.  The Eagle was followed by a Canadian Forces
CF-18 Hornet painted in red and white with a giant red maple leaf painted
on the lower side.  The aircraft did an impressive display of high speed
and low speed aerobatic maneuvers before seeming to exit the viewing area.
We all thought that it was gone, but were suddenly treated to a very unique
sight.  The modern day CF-18 reappeared flying in close formation with a
fully restored RCAF Spitfire and one of only two flying examples of
Lancaster Bombers left in the world.  It was amazing to see WWII planes
flying alongside a modern day jet fighter.  They called it the "heritage
flight".

 After a number of other displays by military and civilian aircraft, the
highlight of the show made their appearance, the Snowbirds.  The Canadian
Forces Snowbirds are a precision aerobatic team made up of active duty
fighter pilots who fly dozens of air shows each year all over North
America.  They are one of the few nine plane aerobatic teams that perform
at air shows.

They began their show by flying some impressive maneuvers in a giant
formation and then they broke up and began flying in smaller groups.  In
one of their more breathtaking moves, two aircraft fly right at each other
at over 400 knots and then break at the last second seeming to miss one
another by mere feet.

When the Snowbirds finished their display, we got up and headed back
towards the Exhibition grounds.

"What time do you guys need to leave?"  I asked Bryan.

"Our flight is wheels up at 7:30 PM, so we should be at the airport by
around 6:30 or so."

"Hmmm," I said.

"I know that `hmmm' sound," Bryan chuckled.  "What are you up to?"

"Well, a little bird just happened to tell me that the IMAX theatre is
showing the movie `The Dream Is Alive' and it starts in about twenty
minutes.  Mark would love it .... it's all about a shuttle mission and
we've got time to see it and still get you guys to Pearson for your flight
home."

"I saw that one a few years ago.  He'd love it.  Let's see what the boys
think."

"See what we think about what?" Josh asked as he and Mark came up behind
us.

"What are you two plotting this time?" Mark asked.

"Well," I replied.  "We thought we might torture the two of you by making
you sit through a big screen IMAX film called `The Dream Is Alive'.  It's
about a complete shuttle mission from training to launch and finally
landing."

"Really?"  Mark asked with a gigantic grin on his face.

"Really," Bryan replied.  Unless you'd rather go on some more rides and
take another shot at making Tom and I puke!"

"Well that might be fun," Josh said, "but the theatre will be air
conditioned and it sounds like something that would be right up Mark's
alley," Josh chuckled.

"Alright, let's go!" I said.

The cool air conditioned interior of the IMAX theatre was a welcome break
from the sizzling heat of that bright and sunny September Monday.  We took
our seats about half-way up the massive three story high screen and waited
for the movie to begin.

Compared to standard film, an IMAX movie is utterly breathtaking.  The
screens are massive and the sound system makes the floor rumble beneath
your feet.  You feel as if you are actually part of the action taking place
on the screen in front of you.  Bryan was sitting on my right with Mark on
my left and Josh was to Bryan's right.  On the way into the theatre, we
loaded ourselves up with popcorn and drinks and were seated with about a
minute to spare before the movie started.

Just ahead of the feature presentation there was a laser display that
demonstrated the capabilities of the IMAX theatre and there were a number
of commercials.  Most of them were fairly forgettable, but one of them sent
goose bumps down all of our backs.

The commercial featured a young man who was probably about my age walking
down a rocky beach obviously in deep thought.  He was wearing a backpack
with a Canadian flag sewn onto it.  The young man stopped and gazed up at
the cliffs lining the beach and then pulled out his cell phone.

The scene changed to show a phone ringing in the hallway of a house.  An
old man enters the scene and answers the phone.  It's the young man on the
beach.

"Hi Grandpa, I'm calling from France," he said.

"Well hello," the old man replied.  "It's great to hear from you.  Are the
girls in Paris as pretty as I remember them?"

The young man paused.  "I'm not in Paris, Grandpa," the young man said.
"I'm in Dieppe."

The old man closed his eyes tightly for a moment before replying.  The
camera panned to the wall behind him and showed two black and white photos
of the old man in his younger days wearing an army uniform.

"Oh," he paused.  "I'm glad that you're there."

The young man thought for a second.  "I just wanted to call and
say... thank you."

The commercial, which was for a cell phone company, ended with the logo of
the company and a note reminding people to take the time to thank a veteran
for our freedom.

We all glanced at one another in the darkened theatre.  "Look at my arm," I
said and held my forearm out to Bryan.  "I've got goose bumps."

"Same here," he replied.  "That was a hell of a commercial."

The movie began shortly afterwards and it was everything that we expected
and more.  The launch scene had us practically clinging to our seats as the
theatre seats shook and rumbled around us.  The space scenes were so
life-like that you could almost experience the sensation of vertigo from
watching them.  Throughout the movie, I glanced over at Mark and watched
him.  His eyes were riveted to the screen.  As much as the simulated air
combat experience had cemented a career goal in his mind, this movie did
the same.

I was pretty sure that from that day forward, Mark's dual goals would be to
become a fighter pilot and to fly in space.  None of us who loved him and
knew him well had any doubt that both goals were well within his reach.
Each of us would also do whatever we could to support him in achieving
those goals.

After we left the theatre Mark and Josh surprised us with a request.

"Dad, that commercial got us thinking," Josh said.  "Mark and I were
talking about next summer."

"Yeah.  Remember that you said I could pick where we would all go next
summer?" Mark asked.  "We've picked a place."

"Where would you like to go?" Bryan asked.

I already guessed the answer before Josh spoke.

"We want to go to Europe and see places like Vimy Ridge, Normandy, and
Dieppe," Josh said.

Bryan and I looked at each other and exchanged the type of non-verbal
communications that only those close and in tune with one another can
understand and then I answered for both of us.  "I think that can be
arranged," I smiled.

Bryan nodded agreement and then we found ourselves in another of the
four-way hugs that were so common in our little family.  "I think it would
be a great learning experience for all of us," Bryan said.

With that, it was decided at our level, and pending Susan's approval, we'd
visit historic Europe for a couple of weeks during the summer of 2001.

Sadly, our day together came to a close all too soon.  Once again, the four
of us found ourselves standing at the departure gate of an airport
exchanging emotional goodbyes.

 I pulled Bryan into a tight hug.  "These departures are getting old really
quick," I said.  "I much prefer airport greetings than goodbyes."

"Me too.  You take care of yourself and have a good semester.  You two look
after each other and Susan too.  Give my love to everyone else."

"I will.  Love you Bry," I said.

"Love you too.  Call me tomorrow and tell me how your first day went back
at school."

"I will," I replied and then after a short pause, released Bryan from my
embrace.

Mark came to me next while Josh went to Bryan.  I pulled the boy into a
firm bear hug.  "So long for now Mark," I said.  "Have fun back at school
with your friends and keep your eyes on the prize.  You're going to be the
best damned fighter pilot in the world one day and a hell of an astronaut
too."

Mark smiled warmly.  "I hope so.  I'm going to try.  I love you Tom.  I'm
going to miss you guys."

"I love you too kiddo.  Remember, we'll be together again in a couple of
months for Christmas.  Look out for your brother for me, ok?"

"I will," Mark said and with that he and Bryan went through the gate and
headed home to Calgary, leaving Josh and I with a lump in our throats and
an ache in our gut.

Over the next few weeks, Josh and I got back into our normal routines.  As
much as we had enjoyed the excitement of being on the road for two months,
it was a bit of a relief to be back to a regular routine.  It wasn't
mundane -- just a relief.  We kept in constant touch with Bryan and Mark
and we made the most of our long distance relationships.

In addition to keeping up with my school work, I kept working on my
multimedia authoring program.  With Bryan's help in writing the code and
with both Josh and Mark assisting with testing, the program was coming
along nicely.  Josh and I worked with the program to begin to assemble all
the photos and video clips that we'd shot during our trip into an
interesting interactive presentation.

Josh of course also kept in touch with Shelly and her family.  Shelly
continued to show remarkable improvement and was responding very well to
the experimental drug therapy that she was receiving.  There was of course
the possibility of having to come up with significant funds to pay for
additional doses of the drug down the road and Josh was wracking his mind
trying to come up with ways to help out.

The degree to which Josh had matured and grown during the summer became
abundantly clear shortly after he returned to school.  The school was well
aware of how he had spent his summer and they talked him into giving a
presentation in front of the whole school in exchange for extra credit.

We decided that the students at Josh's school would make an excellent
initial test audience for our presentation and the two of us worked to
create a fast paced and engaging presentation for Josh to deliver.  Both
Susan and I took a day off school and work to be there to watch him.  Both
Susan and I were pretty anxious about the presentation before Josh started,
but by the time he was done, we were both awestruck.

Josh began standing behind a podium speaking into a microphone on a stand.
He had a laser pointer in his hand and our presentation, which he
controlled from my laptop was projected on a large screen behind him.  He
also had a remote control, so that he could advance to the next video clip
or slide.  As Josh began, everyone quickly realized that they were
experiencing something special.

The screen slowly faded from blank to first screen shot.  It was a full
size picture of Susan's smiling face.  WHAT?  That wasn't in the script!
Susan let out an embarrassed squeal and buried her face in her hands.

"That's my Mom saying goodbye to us as we started our trip," Josh began.
"Now think about it.... without our Mom's, none of us would be here today
would we?"

That introduction got the audience laughing and applauding right away.
Then he started on the pics and video clips starting with the ceremony at
Camp Tonawonka.

I had lived the experiences that Josh was talking about and yet I was
enthralled listening to him and watching him reenact our vacation.  It was
like I was experiencing the whole journey all over again.

He didn't stay behind the podium for long.  Without an ounce of stage
fright, Josh unhooked the microphone from the stand and began to pace
animatedly across the stage.  As he spoke, the raw emotion of the
experiences that we'd had, came through loud and clear in his descriptions.
He paced and gestured and strutted about that stage like an actor giving
the performance of his life.  The entire audience was caught up in the
presentation and they found themselves laughing, clapping, cheering, and
even at times crying, especially when he told the story of how we rescued
Daisy and Brutus.

Even the teachers and parents in the audience couldn't help themselves but
get caught up in the whole spectacle.  Every single person in the
auditorium was on the edge of their seats, hanging on every word as Josh
spoke.

When he got to the part where the four of us were camping in Jasper, he
showed another full head shot -- this time it was Mark.

"Look closely at that face," he said seriously.  "That's Mark Callahan, my
best friend, my brother.  Yes, he was awarded the Star of Courage medal
together with my Dad and I. Imagine what he will look like in about fifteen
years.  You want to know how far he's going to go in life?  Don't blink or
you might find him on the moon and beyond.  My bet is that Mark's going to
be the best astronaut that Canada will ever have."  I didn't remember that
being in the script.

Then he went on with our trip through West Edmonton Mall and of course,
when he got to our trip around the Badlands and Drumheller, he had to show
a full-face view of Shelley.  Another unscripted slide, at least as far as
I was concerned.

"Isn't she cute?  Her name is Shelley," he said smiling.  "Maybe fifteen
years from now if you should meet me, you'll probably find her nearby.
I'll tell you a bit more about her later."

Then he returned to the script that I was familiar with and described our
trip to Ottawa and the medal ceremony.  He was very strong in his
description of the Prime Minister; complimenting him for the courage,
knowledge, and diplomatic talents that it takes to be the Prime Minister of
Canada.  Josh didn't mention any of the things that he'd said to the Prime
Minister -- when we put the presentation together; we agreed that was a
matter of public record.

Using the Museum of Natural History as a backdrop, Josh went off the script
one more time.  This time it was a great shot of Bryan.

"Handsome, isn't he?"  Josh smiled again.  "This is Bryan Callahan.  Sorry
ladies, he's taken, but I must say he's doing a great job of providing
mature guidance for my best friend and brother, Mark.  Actually, he's
Mark's older brother.  A very good computer geek and I know if anything was
to happen to my Mom or Dad, he'd be there in an instant to help me out.
It's amazing how people walk into your life and become more than your
friend.  That's our Bryan."

Throughout the presentation, his descriptions of the places we traveled
through, from the mile 0 in Victoria to the other mile 0 in St. Johns
Newfoundland, and the people we met were so descriptive, warm, and
accurate.  I'm sure the whole audience shared my view that Josh loved all
the people he met.

When Josh got to the scripted presentation of our fishing trip with Richard
and Matthew at Rice Lake, I knew the presentation was coming to an end and
I breathed a sigh of relief.  He hadn't centred me out.  Little did I know.

As he completed his talk about Rice Lake, as scripted, the picture faded
away, and was replaced with a collage of three head shots I didn't know we
had.  On the left was a picture of Rosie, the toothless lady from the rest
area near Hope BC; in the centre was a picture of the Prime Minister, and
on the right was a picture of me.

My heart was in my throat -- where was he going with this?

"Heroes," he began.  "When I was putting the final touches to this
presentation...." he looked directly at me with a smile and winked, "I
wondered who were my heroes in addition to my Mom, Bryan and Mark.
Remember Rosie from the rest area and how enthusiastic she was to be in the
movies.  She was one of my heroes because of the simple thoughts that ran
through her mind and yet, she strived to have a comfortable life regardless
of the walls that ignorant people put in her way.  I felt her struggle and
I felt her happiness in spite of that struggle.  That was why I chose her
to represent all the people, the heroes like her, that are in a similar
situation.  She wouldn't harm a soul and you can see that kindness in her
eyes.  Naturally, we all recognize the man in the middle as our Prime
Minister.  I look in his eyes and I see the burden of justice.... not for
just you and me, but also for all the Rosies' that live in this great
country of ours.  I see the burden of stress that he takes on from all of
the people of Canada.  Knowing what the Prime Minister's job entails before
he was elected, he still had the courage to take on those burdens.  That
truly should make him a hero to every Canadian.  I'm sure you recognize the
man on the right, Tom Davis.  You've seen him in the background of some of
the videos and pictures.  Yes, he too has received the Star of Courage from
the Governor General for acts of bravery in the face of great personal
peril.  By itself, that makes this man my real hero, but one of the early
things that Tom taught me was.... any man can be a father, but it takes a
real man to be a dad."

The screen faded and was replaced with just the picture of me as I was
receiving the medal.

"My biological father had more or less abandoned me, and after he died,
Tommy became my Dad.... my hero.  Is he smart?  You better believe
it.... he wrote the multimedia computer program that's running this
presentation.  He planned this whole trip across Canada."  He looked
directly at Susan and me.  "Mom, I love you, but Dad.... you're my real
hero and I love you too."

I thought the presentation had come to an end as my picture faded from the
screen, but Josh pressed the remote again and the picture of Shelley
returned to the screen as Josh approached the edge of the stage and sat
down with his legs dangling.  He surveyed the assembled students and spoke
from the heart.

"This adventure that I experienced this summer with my Dad was the best
time of my life.  We got to see and experience everything that you could
imagine from coast-to-coast-to-coast.  Every Canadian should get the chance
to do this.  What I just showed you was what Canada really is.  It's ours.
All of it is ours.  The oceans.  The lakes.  The mountains.  The tundra.
The prairies.  The forests and the cities all belong to each and every one
of us.  It's up to us to keep it and protect it.  We are the future.
That's what I learned.  We aren't just kids along for the ride.  We can
make a difference.  We don't have to stand and watch things happen.  We can
do our part to make a difference.  If every one of us in every school in
Canada makes the effort, we can make this country even better than it is
now.  We can get to know others in other provinces and learn about the way
they live and they can learn about us.  The more that we all get to know
about each other, the better we'll understand one another and respect one
another.  We can do things like the Terry Fox run and try to beat cancer.
I'm going to do just that.  I'm going to run in the Terry Fox run for
Shelly and all the other kids who have cancer."

He pressed the remote again and the picture of Shelley faded as one of
Terry Fox faded in.

"You can too.  You can run or you can sponsor someone who is going to run.
We can do what Terry did and we CAN make a difference.  Thank you for
listening."

Josh stood up to return the microphone to the stand and at that moment the
applause was thunderous.  Teachers, parents, and students were on their
feet cheering and clapping.  Susan and I were too.  I turned my head and
looked at Susan who was absolutely wide-eyed with wonder and proud by what
she'd just seen her son do.  The standing ovation lasted for more than two
minutes before the principal managed to get everyone quieted down.  When he
thanked Josh for his presentation, the cheering started up once again.

Susan and I left the auditorium to wait for Josh outside.  We were both
literally thunderstruck by what we had just witnessed.

"Did you help him write that last bit?"  Susan asked.

"Not me.  I helped with the presentation, but he sure didn't stick to the
script," I replied.  "He even did some last minute changes in the program I
didn't know about.  I had no idea that he was going to do that last bit.
It all came from his heart.  Makes me proud."

"Good Lord!  I can't believe that was Josh up there.  It was like watching
a professional."

Just then Josh arrived.

"Hi Mom, hi Dad," he said happily.  "Did you like the presentation?"

"Like it?  I loved it honey," Susan replied.  "You were absolutely amazing.
You had everyone hanging on every word."

"You tweaked the content of the program!  That last bit was great," I
exclaimed.  "Did you write that on your own?"

"Actually, I didn't write it," he said.  "I just thought of those extra
things as I was saying it," he replied nonchalantly as if it was no big
deal.

"You adlibbed that whole closing speech?"  I asked completely dumbfounded.

"Yeah, I guess.  I just said what I felt from here," he said and pointed at
his chest.  Almost as amazing as what he had said, was the fact that it was
so incredible and was absolutely beyond him.

"Amazing!"  Susan said with wonder in her voice as she pulled Josh into a
hug.

Before long Josh was swarmed by dozens of his friends who were all firing
questions and comments at him like some kind of media scrum.  I smiled to
myself and, as I often did, marveled at my son and how amazing he truly
was.  Josh was forever full of surprises and his transformation over the
summer was amazing.  He'd clearly been awakened to the larger country and
indeed the larger world out there and he had embraced it.  None of us knew
it at the time, but emotionally charged and riveting speeches would later
become the hallmark that would help to propel him to his ultimate destiny.

That night, I stopped by Josh's bedroom to say goodnight.  I sat down on
the edge of his bed reached out to gently caress his forehead and ruffle
his short spiky hair.  "You were absolutely amazing today son," I said.

"Really?  I thought it was ok," he replied modestly.

"It was a lot more than just ok," I replied.  "You had everyone in the palm
of your hand.  If you had told everyone to jump up and down and cluck like
a chicken, we'd have done it."

"I had a lot of fun up there.  I thought I'd be nervous in front of the
whole school, but I wasn't nervous at all.  It came so natural..... I
wanted them to feel what I experienced on the trip."

"You looked and sounded great kiddo," I said warmly.  "If you can keep that
up, you will change the world one day Josh.  If you can get people to
listen to you and follow you, you can really make a difference."

"I can't wait to do the taping at the Air Farce next week," Josh said with
a yawn.

"It'll be great," I replied.

"Do you think they'll let me say something about the Terry Fox run and
Shelly?"

"Josh, I think you could sell ice to Eskimos.  Ask them.  The worst they
can do is say no," I said.

"That's true.  Hey Dad, you remember Mr. Donalson at the Chrysler dealer in
Calgary?"

"Yeah, of course I do.  He gave us a two-grand tune-up on the Jeep."

"Well.... do you think he'd appreciate it if we donated some of that money
to sponsor a Terry Fox runner?"

I grinned.  What a wonderful thought.  "Josh," I said with a proud smile,
"I'll phone him tomorrow and I'll TELL him that's where his generosity was
spent."

"Thanks Dad.  I love you," Josh said and held out his arms for a hug.

I hugged him closely and replied, "Goodnight son.  I love you too."

"'Night Dad."  He had the wonderful Josh grin on his face as he closed his
eyes.

The next day I phoned Mr. Donalson during my lunch period to tell him where
his generosity was going to be used.  He was thrilled.

"Mr. Davis, the cheque is in the mail...." he announced.  "I'll make it out
to Josh Chambers right now."

Once again, I explained that he already advised us to use the benefits of
the tune-up and that was what we were doing.  I didn't want him to pay
again.  However, much to my chagrin, he insisted and that was the way the
conversation ended.

I obtained a video tape of Josh's performance from the school, digitized it
with my multimedia program, compressed the file, and then emailed it to
Bryan and Mark.  Within an hour, my phone was ringing.

"Hello?" I answered.

"What did you do to him?" Bryan asked with a chuckle.

"Josh?"

"Yes Josh!  Mark and I watched that video and if it was half as amazing in
person as it was on the computer it must have been incredible."

"I lived the experience and I was eating out of his hand," I replied, "and
I had nothing to do with the comments he made about you and Mark.  He
adlibbed all that and added it to the presentation after I thought we had
it finished.  The same with Susan and me.  We had no idea..... actually, I
was amazed that he caught onto the intricacies of the multimedia program so
fast."

"He almost had me crying when he added those personal touches.  It was
sweet.  I can really see him speaking to a larger forum one day," Bryan
replied.  "I look at the political leaders we have today and not one of
them could deliver a performance like that."

"And he's only thirteen," I said.  "Imagine what he'll be like in 20 years
or so."

"Let me go on record as saying that I am officially a believer in your
dreams!"

"You and me both!"  I chuckled.

That second week back at school proved to be a banner week for Josh.  It
started with is presentation on our trip on Monday and ended with Student
Council elections on Thursday and Friday.

Josh, as an eighth grader threw his hat in the ring for president of the
Student's Council.  There were four other kids running against him, but it
wasn't even close.  The election took place on Thursday and the results
were announced at the end of classes that day.  Out of 479 votes cast, Josh
received 342.  It was a landslide and definitely a preview of things to
come.

In order to give the students the full experience, the whole thing was run
just like a real election and on Friday, the winning candidates were
administered an oath of office in front of the school.  Susan and I both
made sure to attend the ceremony.

The principal was behind the podium and the stage was lined with the
Canada, Ontario, and city of Toronto flags.  As president-elect of the
student's council, Josh was called first to take his oath.  The oath was a
slightly modified version of the oath that the Prime Minister of Canada
takes when he/she is sworn in.

Josh stood and faced the principal.

"Josh, raise your right hand and repeat after me," the principal said.

Josh raised his right hand and placed his left hand on a copy of the Bible.
Since it was a public school, students had the choice of swearing or
affirming their oath.  Josh chose to swear his.

            "I, please state your name, do solemnly promise and swear," The
principal said.

"I, Joshua Michael Chambers do solemnly promise and swear," Josh repeated.

            "That I will truly and faithfully and to the best of my skills
and knowledge," the principal continued.

"That I will truly and faithfully and to the best of my skills and
knowledge," Josh repeated once again in a loud clear voice.

            "Execute the powers and trusts reposed in me as president of
the student's council,"

"Execute the powers and trusts reposed in me as president of the student's
council,"

            "So help me God," the principal finished.

"So help me God," Josh stated with a huge smile on his face.

The assembled students clapped and cheered as Josh took his seat and looked
on as the other executive members of the student's council were
administered their oaths of office.

"You know," Susan whispered to me. "Somehow I get the distinct feeling,
call it mother's intuition, that this won't be the last time that we watch
him swear an oath."

I smiled back at her.  "You know, I think you might just be right about
that," I replied.

After the ceremony ended, I watched Josh interact with the other kids as he
made his way towards us.  It was actually quite amazing.  Middle Schools
tended to be hot beds of cliques and groups.  People always struggled to
fit into one group or the other and some groups looked down on others.
Josh seemed to be above it all.  He seemed to transcend the politics of
adolescence and he seemed to fit in with and be perfectly at ease with just
about anyone.  Even the runner up for student's council president, who by
default became vice president, seemed to hold no grudge against Josh.
Indeed, Josh stood and shook the boy's hand after he was sworn in.  Bryan
coined it perfectly when he said on several occasions, that people just
can't help but like him.  He was right.  Josh seemed to be liked and
admired by everyone and to his credit, he took it all in stride and it
never went to his head.

When Josh finally broke away from the crowd, he ran to Susan and me.
Unlike most boys his age, he didn't think twice about giving each of us a
warm hug in public.

"Congratulations Mr. President," I said with a grin.

"Thanks Dad!" he replied.  "That was really fun," he enthused.

"You were great up there," Susan said. "I'm very proud of you."

"They checked the records and I won the biggest landslide ever!"  He said
proudly.

"So what are you going to do now that you've won?"  I asked.

"I've already got a meeting with the principal and the boys and girls phys
ed. teachers.  We have to get to work quickly.  We're going to try to
arrange to have an official Terry Fox run here at the school."

"Amazing!  You've only just been sworn in and you're already getting down
to work," Susan chuckled.  "That's my boy!"

It was typical Josh.  Make the most of every situation and make it quick!

The following Monday was another important day for both of us.  I received
a call from Major William Poole who was the commanding officer of 845
Squadron Royal Canadian Air Cadets.  My paperwork had come through and I
was now, as soon as I signed on the dotted line the training officer for
the air cadet squadron.  I was being reactivated into the Cadet Instructor
Cadre (CIC) and given the rank of Captain.  I'd be in charge of all
training activities related to flight operations.

That Monday night I went down to sign the papers and pick up my uniform.
Josh went with me and we got him officially signed up as an Air Cadet.
After being issued his uniform, he was sent to join the other new recruits
in the recruit training flight while I met the other officers and civilian
instructors of the squadron.  I changed into my new uniform, complete with
peaked hat and a pair of golden pilot wings, and then went for a tour of
the school that was used by the cadet squadron for its training nights.  I
was being shown around by a fellow training officer, Captain Frank Aldrich.
Captain Aldrich was tasked with general training and I'd spend much of my
time with the squadron working fairly closely with him.

The gymnasium was used as a parade ground and when we walked in; the
recruit flight was formed up and was already learning basic drill
maneuvers.  I grinned faintly when Josh saw me in my uniform for the first
time and did a bit of a double take.

I stood and watched for a little while as Josh and his fellow recruits were
put through their paces.  I was pleased to see that Josh did very well and
didn't make many mistakes.  That particular cadet squadron was one of the
largest.  It had over 200 cadets and, including Josh, there were 25 new
recruits who had just joined up.

"Looks like we've got a good bunch in this group," Frank said as we headed
out and down the hallway to resume our tour.

"For sure," I agreed.  "I'm actually quite impressed with what I've seen so
far."

"It's going to be great having you around," Frank said.  "I'm not a pilot
and I found that I was kind of shoe-horned into teaching some of that
stuff."

"I'm happy to be here.  To be quite honest, I jumped at the opportunity to
get back into uniform."  I filled Frank in on my past military experiences.

"Christ.  That's pretty rough.  Quite a change from armored reconnaissance
to this.  At least you don't have to worry about anyone shooting at you
around here!"

"That's for sure.  I figured that if I could at least do some good and
teach some of these kids a thing or two it'll be worth it.  Some of these
boys and girls will be tomorrow's fighter pilots and astronauts."

"Good way to look at it," Frank replied.

That evening at closing parade, I was formally introduced to the assembled
squadron as their new flight training officer and I had an opportunity to
speak briefly to the cadets.  I gave them some details as to my flight
experience and how I came to be a pilot partially as a result of my family
lineage.  The kids, who ranged in age from thirteen to eighteen, were very
receptive, and after the squadron was dismissed, I had more than a few
approach me and introduce themselves.  By the time I left with Josh, my
right arm was almost worn out from returning so many salutes!

"You look awesome in that uniform," Josh said enthusiastically as we headed
to the Jeep to drive home.

"Thanks," I said with a grin.  "You'll look pretty sharp in yours too."

"It was really cool.  You already taught me some of that stuff so it was
pretty easy.  I've already made a few friends there."

"I'm not at all surprised," I replied with a chuckle.

"The master corporal who was teaching us said that I can wear the ribbon
bar for my medal on my uniform and even wear the medal on special
occasions."

"That's great," I replied.  I'd already made a mental note to pin the
ribbon bar from the medal onto my uniform tunic.

"I wonder how Mark made out?" I said thoughtfully.  "He was planning on
joining up today too."

"He's probably still there with the time difference," Josh replied.

"Right.  We'll have to give him a call later."

We did in fact call Mark and Bryan later that evening and found out that
Mark had indeed signed up with the local cadet squadron and Bryan had also
registered him for flight lessons at the local airport.  Josh had also been
registered with flight school and was due to start ground school that
Wednesday evening.  I couldn't wait to get him going on his flight lessons.
We had enough time that if he did as well as I expected him to, he could be
soloing almost as soon as his fourteenth birthday.

"Wow!  You two look very handsome in those uniforms!" Susan said when she
arrived home just after Josh and me.  Josh had changed into his uniform and
we modeled them for Susan.  "Very sharp."

"Thanks Mom," Josh said with a grin.  "Can you take a picture that I can
send to Shelly?"  "I'm sure we can arrange that," Susan said.

I went and got my digital camera and handed it to Susan who took pictures
of Josh and me individually and posing together.  When we were done, Josh
went off to change out of his uniform and to email the photos to Mark and
to Shelly.  I went down to my apartment to get some work done on my
program.

I hadn't realized how long I'd been at it until I felt a hand come to rest
on my shoulder.

"You're up late Dad," Josh said.  He was standing there in a t-shirt and a
pair of briefs.  He had obviously been sleeping.

I looked at my watch and couldn't believe that it was nearly 2 AM.  "Yikes.
I didn't realize how late it was.  What are you doing up?  Are you ok bud?"

"Yeah, I'm fine.  I got up to use the bathroom and I saw your light on.  I
wanted to make sure you were ok," Josh replied with a yawn.

"I kind of lost myself in this thing," I replied.  "It's nearly done.
Bryan sent me the object libraries that he'd been working on and I wanted
to get them plugged in."

"You need to get some rest," Josh said firmly.

"I know.  I'll shut it down now," I replied.

"You could really make some money on this thing couldn't you?"

"It's possible," I replied.

"It's pretty amazing and easy to use.  I'll bet it could be the next big
thing," Josh said as he wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on
my shoulder.

"You never know what could happen if we market this properly," I replied.

With Josh still leaning on my shoulder I did a quick check of my email
before shutting down the PC.  There was an email marked urgent from Andy.
I double clicked the message and read it.

[Tom, things are starting to happen fast.  Professor Markinson did a little
legal maneuvering and managed to back the plaintiffs into a corner.  We've
got a judicial pre-trial set for the middle of next month in front of a
judge.  The Judge will have the power to dismiss their claim on the spot
and award us compensation if he feels that it is without merit.  We're
going to go after them with both barrels and try to put an end to this
thing before it even gets started.  Call me in the morning and I'll fill
you in.

Andy]

"That's good news," Josh said suddenly sounding more awake.

"It sure sounds like it.  If we can get this lawsuit thrown out it'll be a
load off my shoulders."

"Are you worried about it?" Josh asked.

"Kind of.  I know they don't have a case, but it's still always in the back
of my mind."

"Try not to worry about it Dad," Josh said tenderly.  "You've got the best
lawyer around and you've got all of us behind you.  My former asshole
relatives can't beat all of us."

I turned my head and lightly rubbed noses with Josh.  "I know son.  Things
will work out one way or another."

With that, I shut down the computer and headed off to bed after washing up
and brushing my teeth.  In a reversal of roles, Josh actually tucked me in
for the night, hugged me warmly, and kissed my forehead before heading back
to bed himself.  I drifted off to sleep wondering what I had done to
deserve the love of such an amazing and caring person as Josh.

The next morning I spoke to Andy and we arranged for a time for me to meet
with Professor Markinson to discuss what was going to happen in court and
to prepare our witnesses.  Andy said that me, Josh, the teller from the
bank, bank manager along with Darren would be taking the stand for sure for
our side.  We may even end up calling Mark as a witness or at least reading
a statement from him into the record.  The plaintiffs would likely call
themselves as a witness and possibly witnesses who were at the mall that
day.

The rest of the week went by pretty quickly as the day of the Air Farce
taping approached.  Josh's first ground school lessons went very well that
Wednesday night and he was looking forward to his first flight lesson on
Saturday.  While he was in his class at the flight school, I spent my time
in the pilot's lounge working on homework and the multimedia program.

On the day of the taping, Josh and I took the subway downtown and met Susan
at the CBC building on Front Street.  We had time to grab dinner at the
Texas Longhorn café which was located just a couple of blocks away.  The
three of us split a platter of chicken fajitas which were amazingly
delicious.

"So are you ready to be a TV star, Josh?" Susan asked with a smile on her
face.

"I can't wait to see what happens," Josh replied.  "They didn't tell me
what was going to happen."

"I'm sure it'll be hilarious whatever it is," I replied.

After dinner, we headed back to the CBC building.  When we arrived, Josh
was hustled away back stage while Susan and I were shown to the VIP seating
area which was front row centre.  As we waited for the live taping to
begin, various comedians from the show would come on stage and do brief
stand up acts in order to warm up the audience.  It was a pretty full house
and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

The episode would be a total of twenty-two minutes long so it would fit
into a 30-minute time slot.  It actually took close to two hours to shoot.
Josh got a surprising amount of screen time.  They were using him primarily
as the straight-man to the actor playing "Naughty Josh".  In that role,
Josh would sometimes participate in and at other time foil "Naughty Josh's"
efforts at mischief.

In one of the funniest skits, the actor playing the Prime Minister was
being interviewed by a reporter and not making much sense.  "Naughty Josh"
came in wearing his sailor suit carrying his giant lollypop and a large
cream pie.  He was about to sneak up behind the PM and pie him when our
real Josh came into the scene dressed in a suit and wearing an ear peace
like a bodyguard.

"I don't think so," he said and took the pie from Naughty Josh.

He was about to put the pie down when the PM made some crack about annoying
kids.  Josh looked at the camera, made an exaggerated frown and then pied
the PM actor himself.  He then took Naughty Josh's lollypop from him and
skipped off the stage.  The audience roared as they looked at the
dumbfounded expressions on the actors' faces.  It made you think that the
last part of the skit hadn't been part of the script.  It was priceless.

At the end of the taping, the entire cast along with Josh and the other
guest stars came out to take a bow.  With the camera still rolling, Josh
was able to use this opportunity to speak to the crowds.  To their credit,
the Air Farce actually broadcast Josh's comments later that week when the
episode went to air.

"I'm the real Josh.  Some of you know that.  I had a great time here
tonight.  The people who make this show are a lot of fun.  I was thrilled
when they agreed to let me speak to you.  I recently learned a lot about
Terry Fox.  His bravery and his strength have really motivated me.  I don't
have cancer, but someone that I love does.  Her bravery facing this dreaded
disease is truly an inspiration.  That's true of a lot of people, but it
takes a lot of research money to find a cure.  I want to try to do
something about that.  I can't run across the country.  My brother Mark
might be able to, but I couldn't.  I can run 10k though.  I'm going to run
the 10k Terry Fox run to try to raise money to help people who are sick
with this terrible disease.  I'd like to ask for your help.  If you can
participate in the run and raise money, please do it.  If you can't, then
please consider sponsoring someone who is running.  If you don't know
anyone who is running, you can sponsor me.  They said they'd put my school
address on the screen at the end of the show and you can send your donation
there.  Thanks and have a great night."

The audience rose to their feet and applauded loudly for Josh and the whole
cast shook his hand one by one.  By the time we left the CBC building, in
addition to the Mr. Donalson's contribution, Josh had raised another $1,200
in pledges including $500 from the cast of the Air Farce.

"You were great up there honey," Susan said as she drove.  Josh and I had
ridden the subway into downtown so that we could ride back with Susan.

"It was cool.  The guys in that show are just as funny in real life as they
are on the stage.  The hardest part was not laughing on stage," Josh
snickered.

"I can't believe how much money you raised so far for your run.  Way to go
bud!"

"Thanks!  It's going to be pretty tough running that far though.  Mark said
to make sure that I pace myself and don't try to race."

"We'll be there with you at the finish line sweetheart," Susan said.

"For sure.  I'll try to meet you along the route at a few points and make
sure you've got water or anything else that you need."

"Mark said to drink Gator Aid," Josh replied.

"Mark knows what he's talking about when it comes to athletics," I replied.

"He's really come a long way," Susan remarked.

"You don't know the half of it," I said.  "He's like a new boy.  He's
decided that he wants to go to RMC to become a fighter pilot and then go on
to become an astronaut."

"He can do it too," Josh said.

"I'm sure he can," Susan said.

Over the next week Josh got down to work as president of the Student's
Council at his school.  He was able to convince the principal and the
physical education department to help him to setup an official Terry Fox
run at his school.  The run would take place on the Friday before the
official world-wide run which was scheduled for the last weekend in
September.

Air cadet training nights and flight school occupied a fair bit of both of
our free time, but we still managed to spend as much time as possible with
Susan, with my family and just relaxing together.

As the Terry Fox run day approached, the donations began to roll in.  Only
days after the episode was broadcast, envelopes with cheques in the began
to arrive from right across Canada.  Josh's run began to take on a life of
its own.  Celebrities including actors, singers and even the Prime Minister
sponsored Josh on his run.  Some of the cheques came with letters of
encouragement and some included sad stories about relatives lost to the
disease.  Hundreds and even thousands of dollars were rolling in each and
every day leading up to the run.

Shelly and her family saw the broadcast and they were once again completely
blown away by the young boy who had come into their lives quite suddenly
and helped to turn their situation around.

Shelly was improving more and more every day and the night before the run,
she called Josh with some fantastic news.

"Guess what Josh," she said.

"Hmmm.... I'd guess that you're standing on your head," Josh replied.

"No silly," Shelly said.  "I went to the doctor's today and I wanted to
call you to tell you what he said."

"Oh yeah!  What did he say?"

"He said that he's never seen anything like it before in his career, but he
said that I'm in full remission."

"That's great!" Josh shouted enthusiastically.

"I know.  He said that if I stay in remission I'll be cured."

"That's wonderful!  I'm so happy to hear that.  I can't wait to do this run
tomorrow and help other people too."

"You remember your promise don't you?" Shelly asked.

"I remember," Josh replied.  "I meant it too."

"You're the best.  I love you Josh Chambers."

"I love you too Shelly Mason," Josh replied.

Josh was nearly doing cartwheels when he handed the phone to me so that I
could speak to Debbie.

"Tom, I guess you heard the news by now eh?"

"Did I ever.  That's fantastic."

"The doctors said this new drug helped a lot, but I could tell how amazed
they were.  They had just about every doctor in the oncology department in
taking a look at the results and nobody could believe what they were
seeing."

"You have no idea how happy that makes us."

"You have no idea how grateful we all are to you guys.  I don't know how he
did it and I don't know what in the grand scheme of things conspired to
bring us all together, but somehow on some level, this is because of Josh."

"He's a remarkable young man," I replied.

"It's like he looked past her sickness and saw her for the beautiful little
girl she is and he somehow passed that positive energy back to her and gave
her a new reason to fight.  Before she met Josh it was like she was getting
ready to die.  She was so tired and so fed up with fighting she was just
letting go.  Josh gave her what she needed.  He gave her something to fight
for."

"Josh can tend to have that effect on people," I chuckled.

"I guess this is going to be another serious long distance romance," Debbie
laughed.

"I think so.  Josh is like me.  Once he gets an idea into his head, he
doesn't let go.  We might as well start planning the wedding now."  I
giggled at the thought.

"You have no idea how wonderful.... how great that makes me feel.... I'll
be able to plan my daughter's wedding," Debbie said.

I was really thrilled with the good news and the happiness in her voice.

Late that night I awoke briefly when I felt Josh climb under the covers,
throw his arm over my shoulders, and snuggle up against my back.  I smiled
briefly and then drifted back off to sleep.

All was well in our little world and things were moving inexorably towards
a future that was full of promise and excitement.  Whatever lay ahead of
us, I knew that we'd all face it together.

I knew too, that this smart, kind, and loving boy who left an indelible
mark on every life that he touched, was going places and that I had the
distinct honour of guiding and supporting him along the way.