“Eleven,” Julia said to herself, “I am only eleven. What am I doing at this ‘grown-up’ meeting?” Julia knew she had been useful in setting the room up for Carl’s first network meeting. She had directed the arranging of the chairs and made sure the placement of the chips, vegetables and dips was just so. When it came to arranging rooms she knew what to do. Julia’s dream was to be an interior decorator. She spent many hours watching the Home Channel and Martha Stewart’s flair for organization was not lost on her.

But to participate in a meeting, that was a task of a different order. Sure she had known Carl all her life. A long time ago her dad, Spencer, used to work with Carl, helping get him ready for high school, driving him places, and finding things Carl could do in the community. Julia knew this had not always been easy work. First off, Carl was pretty heavy and not that easy to manoeuvre. Plus, he had trouble seeing and would get frustrated and loud when he did not know what was going on around him.

Spencer and Carl had hit it off though. They both had a love of fast cars and an appreciation for life’s more absurd moments. When Julia’s family moved, and Spencer no longer worked with Carl, they still kept in touch. Carl came to stay at their home once or twice a year and they always visited him whenever they came back to town. As a result, Carl’s infectious smile, dry humour and dogged determination was a welcome and regular part of Julia’s life.