Think I'm gonna need thicker skin.
03/03/07 10:08 PM
B took the kids out
today to the Natural History Museum with the cousins
and Aunt Rachel and Na-Na while I stayed home and got
very little done. That was all good, tots got to run
around and Ty got to see the dinosaurs (Cleveland has
a fairly nice collection of dino stuff, actually),
which was a big hit because they are way more
impressive at full size instead of puzzle-piece size
like he always sees 'em. Casey kept to himself on
Planet Casey as he does in public. He doesn't get
upset or anything, he's just, not there, I guess.
But anyway, the museum was fine and then everyone went to McDonald's, one of the near-downtown ones with a playland. As you'd expect on a Saturday evening in an urban McDonald's with a playland, it was crowded and crazy with lots of little kids swarming around. This is Tyler's element, he's a fricking cannonball, he can knock around with much bigger kids no problem.
Casey was doing his thing, wandering aimlessly, focused on the drinking straw clutched in his fist. We've learned that autistic kids will often carry simple objects around and give them their full attention, oblivious to whatever else is going on; Planet Casey. He wasn't bothering anyone, but evidently he wandered toward another table where some woman, a young mother of some kid (or kids) in the playland, was sitting. According to Becky, This Person said, "Get That Away From Me."
Na-Na (Becky's mom Kathy) swooped in and redirected Casey and told This Person, "Oh, it's okay, the straw is clean," thinking that This Person was afraid Casey's straw was sticky or something.
This Person said, "No, not the straw- that kid. He's weird."
Becky took Casey's hand and looked at This Person. "No he's not."
She then loudly said to Kathy so This Person would hear, "Let's go now. We're bothering this fat, mean lady." That was met with the expected "OH NO YOU DIDN'T" and "UH-UH YOU COME BACK HERE BITCH" and silly angry stereotypical hand motions, as if This Person has no idea that she is both fat and mean. Whatever- like she was going to jump up from her Big Mac combo with the large Diet Coke to do anything violent. Becky packed up the kids and they took off without further incident.
I've got a lot to say about This Person, and it was probably good I wasn't there because it all would have gotten said and there would have been some big problems. Becky handled it very well. As it is now I'll not write anything more about This Person here, because there really isn't any point.
But, this is the first time this has happened, and it is clear to me now this won't be the last. This is going to be really hard, isn't it? I don't know what I'll do when some kid calls Casey "retard". I just don't know.
Autism in many cases, and I think probably with Casey, takes away the ability to understand the emotions and motivations of others. This is a small blessing in a way, because it may shield Casey from a lot of awful, thoughtless things that will be said by awful, thoughtless people during his life.
His parents are not so blessed, however.
But anyway, the museum was fine and then everyone went to McDonald's, one of the near-downtown ones with a playland. As you'd expect on a Saturday evening in an urban McDonald's with a playland, it was crowded and crazy with lots of little kids swarming around. This is Tyler's element, he's a fricking cannonball, he can knock around with much bigger kids no problem.
Casey was doing his thing, wandering aimlessly, focused on the drinking straw clutched in his fist. We've learned that autistic kids will often carry simple objects around and give them their full attention, oblivious to whatever else is going on; Planet Casey. He wasn't bothering anyone, but evidently he wandered toward another table where some woman, a young mother of some kid (or kids) in the playland, was sitting. According to Becky, This Person said, "Get That Away From Me."
Na-Na (Becky's mom Kathy) swooped in and redirected Casey and told This Person, "Oh, it's okay, the straw is clean," thinking that This Person was afraid Casey's straw was sticky or something.
This Person said, "No, not the straw- that kid. He's weird."
Becky took Casey's hand and looked at This Person. "No he's not."
She then loudly said to Kathy so This Person would hear, "Let's go now. We're bothering this fat, mean lady." That was met with the expected "OH NO YOU DIDN'T" and "UH-UH YOU COME BACK HERE BITCH" and silly angry stereotypical hand motions, as if This Person has no idea that she is both fat and mean. Whatever- like she was going to jump up from her Big Mac combo with the large Diet Coke to do anything violent. Becky packed up the kids and they took off without further incident.
I've got a lot to say about This Person, and it was probably good I wasn't there because it all would have gotten said and there would have been some big problems. Becky handled it very well. As it is now I'll not write anything more about This Person here, because there really isn't any point.
But, this is the first time this has happened, and it is clear to me now this won't be the last. This is going to be really hard, isn't it? I don't know what I'll do when some kid calls Casey "retard". I just don't know.
Autism in many cases, and I think probably with Casey, takes away the ability to understand the emotions and motivations of others. This is a small blessing in a way, because it may shield Casey from a lot of awful, thoughtless things that will be said by awful, thoughtless people during his life.
His parents are not so blessed, however.
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