.
It’s unseasonably warm – a balmy sixty degrees in New England at the end of November. Brooke and I are crossing the street, headed for the ice cream shop.
I watch the door to the shop open and close as we walk toward it. I fear we’re not the only ones with this idea. The shop is small and the acoustics are awful. It’s a combustible mix that we know all too well.
“Brooke,” I say, “the ice cream shop might be crowded. You going to be OK?”
“Just a little sinus trouble,” she answers.
My fault. She always invokes Burt in Elmo’s World Happy Holidays when I ask if she’s OK. I take a different tack.
“OK, baby. What should we do if it gets too loud while we’re waiting on the line?”
“Cover my ears,” she says.
“That’s a GREAT idea,” I tell her. “That’s perfect.”
“And what will you do if you feel overwhelmed?”
It’s a big question.
She takes it in, processes it, then buys time by asking, “What’d ya say?”
I repeat the question.
“What will you do if you feel overwhelmed?”
She thinks.
We walk.
I wait.
After a moment, she speaks.
And when she does, she answers the question with all of the straightforward, no bullsh-t, raw, this-is-who-I-am Brooke-ness that I live for.
“I’ll scream.”
**
Ed note: #YouMightBeAnAutismParentIf … continues to thrive on Twitter. It’s been fabulous to have seen so many of you there joining in the conversation.
If you haven’t dipped a toe in the Twitter water yet, don’t be shy. Or do be shy. Heck, just do whatever feels comfortable for you.
In the meantime, I’ll add my new contributions here so that those of you who have drawn lines in the sand can see them too.
**
I am thinking the world would be in a better shape if we ALL did a touch of flapping and spinning before we go off on someone!
We went to Mexican last night and Kate got to practice her “Dora” Spanish. They mistake her for someone who wants to have a conversation as opposed to someone who just wants to recite the script from a favorite episode with Abuela. BTW, Kate was in her Jammies untile we went to dinner at 4pm and put her Jammies back on as soon as we walked in the door. And that crap about God giving us more than we could handle? Seriously? I believe I am God’s personal comic strip! xoxo! Becky
re “the next person who tells you that God doesn’t give you more than you can handle might want to duck.”
Oh so with you on that – this comment always draws a resound “BULLSHIT” from me, my brain can never stop that comment from my mouth when I hear those words!.
We have to handle it because who is else is going to do it?
My favorite Mother Teresa quote: I know God won’t give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish He didn’t trust me do much.
That’s certainly telling it like it is! I hope it went alright and that she didn’t feel the need to scream.
Love you,
Mom
That is an honest answer, and sometimes, I want to scream when waiting in line!
I don’t twitter, but here’s mine:
YouMightBeAnAustismParentif you bring your child’s own version of Thanksgiving dinner-chicken nuggets and rice/mac ‘n cheese.
YouMightBeAnAustismParentif you go to a restaurant and your child only eats 2 slices of American cheese for dinner.
I seriously just choked on my coffee. Those are two of the best YouMightBeAnAutismParentIf scenarios! And totally my life! Thanks for the laugh!!
You’re welcome. This was the senario this past weekens while visiting my family. Se la vie.
I LOVE the honesty! I want to scream in those situations sometimes….hope it went well and screams weren’t necessary!
I would like to share our latest blog post about taking our autistic Son to get a haircut and the small miracle that happend on that day!;
http://livinginthepuzzle.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/miracle-at-cartoon-cuts/
I adore it when they do that! Hilarious!!!
Hand flapping and spinning are AWESOME ways to deal with the world. I LOVE this…Thanks! xo
I’ve had those conversations and gotten the completely honest answer. I never know if I should apologize or laugh when others ask K questions and get the honest answer (which can sometimes be rude). Usually it depends on who is doing the asking.
I hope Brooke was able to handle the shop and get her ice cream.
I’m not on Twitter but you are seriously making me consider it. Argh. I’ve copy and pasted some of your tweets included in this post in my Quotes Folder that I keep on my laptop for when I need inspiration or a laugh or a reminder that I’m not alone in this.
Crossing my legs laughing at her response- go Brooke!