Progress report

Blackbird and thrush by K.L. Mallett, 2010

I have just enjoyed a phone call from my young-man client with whom I did lots of bus journeys, museum visits and trips to cafes for lunch, when I was with him in March.

Primarily, he said that he wanted to hear how I am and then went on to tell me that his work is going well, much better than before my visit and my chat with his group leader.

He asked me for a few "tips", as he calls them, on how to get on better with the colleague who sits opposite him at his work-bench. He told me about his twin-brother passing his final exams today and actually left all the important things about himself until last.

I got reports in the end on how independent he has become. He is going on much longer walks alone in the village and he is regularly watering the flowers on his Grandmother's grave whenever he has the time. He is still helping his father every evening in the workshop clearing away tools.

Alone!

The best news for me was when he casually told me that he had been to physiotherapy after work today and that for the second week running he had been dropped off there by the work bus, and as usual his Mum met him afterwards. The difference today was that, instead of Mum walking with him to her car, she walked with him to the bus stop. Where he waited alone for the bus to his village and Mum went home in her car alone.

He is so happy that he is doing these things alone. He just asked whether, when I am there again in August, we can go travelling around the countryside again. He is keen on another trip to Paderborn, this time to have lunch with my friend and conductor-colleague before he returns to his home. Alone.

All fine by me

It is lovely when my clients take the bull by the horns and plan the daysfor themselves. That's real life, planning exciting things to do, taking oneself into new and exciting places where it is possible to learn and to grow. I am more than willing to go there with my client and share the learning process with him.