if this is the spectrum then I'm glad to be on the spectrum
As we2 were heading over to have dinner with Tod's friends on Friday evening, he told me that their 14-year-old son is "on the spectrum".
My first reaction was like being told a spoiler on the way to a movie. I don't want to prejudge the experience! Why are you telling me this?!
But ... then I realized ... this was planned ... by Tod and his friends ... they're bonding over having families with people on the spectrum. This was Tod introducing me, and them introducing Elliot ... all of us having dinner together, the spectrum-affiliated families ...
And I loved Elliot, he was so charming, so open, just said whatever was on his mind, hugged his parents in front of us, played with the dogs in front of us. I thought he was normal.
I thought he was normal. I felt like, I can't wait until you grow up so I can marry you, you are the most normal person I've ever met.
-----
Tonight, after my play session with Ben, I talked with him about this. Ben agreed that I'm on the spectrum, and he said that of course I'd think somebody else on the spectrum is normal.
Um ...
Damn ...
...
So what! Everybody is who they are!
Shit.
After discussing this with Ben, I started to realize, I talk like Elliot does. Fuck.
Ben said, "Doesn't Tod know who you are after all these years of living together?"
He talked about one of his friends who is on the spectrum.
Fuck.
So right now what is happening between me and Tod is the two of us expressing our feelings toward each other about having lived with an alien for the past 15 years.
My first reaction was like being told a spoiler on the way to a movie. I don't want to prejudge the experience! Why are you telling me this?!
But ... then I realized ... this was planned ... by Tod and his friends ... they're bonding over having families with people on the spectrum. This was Tod introducing me, and them introducing Elliot ... all of us having dinner together, the spectrum-affiliated families ...
And I loved Elliot, he was so charming, so open, just said whatever was on his mind, hugged his parents in front of us, played with the dogs in front of us. I thought he was normal.
I thought he was normal. I felt like, I can't wait until you grow up so I can marry you, you are the most normal person I've ever met.
-----
Tonight, after my play session with Ben, I talked with him about this. Ben agreed that I'm on the spectrum, and he said that of course I'd think somebody else on the spectrum is normal.
Um ...
Damn ...
...
So what! Everybody is who they are!
Shit.
After discussing this with Ben, I started to realize, I talk like Elliot does. Fuck.
Ben said, "Doesn't Tod know who you are after all these years of living together?"
He talked about one of his friends who is on the spectrum.
Fuck.
So right now what is happening between me and Tod is the two of us expressing our feelings toward each other about having lived with an alien for the past 15 years.