Ignorant
While at the grocery store with my sister, aunt, and cousin, I was perturbed as the guy bagging our groceries obviously, incessantly stared at my cousin with a smirk on his face. I noticed my aunt shoot a glare right back in his direction. Right as we walked by him, he screamed to the bagger in the next aisle over "IS THAT AN AUTISTIC PERSON?! I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE OF THOSE BEFORE!"
Yeah. My cousin is autistic. He is 20 years old, absolutely brilliant, and probably the kindest and most polite person I'll ever know. I was stunned at the audacity of this guy who said that right in front of us. I had to say, making it a point to talk loud enough for him to hear, "I guess you can't let ignorance bother you." She replied, "usually when you stare back, they stop." We then pondered why in the world someone would, first, have the capacity to say it right in front of us, but especially why he would look at a special needs person and assume he is autistic... especially if he's never seen "one" before.
Yeah. My cousin is autistic. He is 20 years old, absolutely brilliant, and probably the kindest and most polite person I'll ever know. I was stunned at the audacity of this guy who said that right in front of us. I had to say, making it a point to talk loud enough for him to hear, "I guess you can't let ignorance bother you." She replied, "usually when you stare back, they stop." We then pondered why in the world someone would, first, have the capacity to say it right in front of us, but especially why he would look at a special needs person and assume he is autistic... especially if he's never seen "one" before.