So, yesterday at the post-graveside reception, I met a young man with autism. He is the cousin of my stepfather. I have know about him, but had not had the opportunity to meet him until yesterday. What a great opportunity that was!
He is 22, an apprenticed piano tuner and lives at home. But he was nice, polite, sweet, and happy. I could converse with him - his interested were sort of restricted in the same ways Jimmy's are, had the stimming behavior, likes to draw, and loves his recently married sister.
I kept kind of gravitating towards him, observing him in conversation or thought. Late in the afternoon, I sat down in the chair next to him. With a room full of family there, we started talking about my boys. I got around to Jimmy - we talked about their common interests and eventually I got to the fact that he doesn't talk. He asked me why. I said it was because he had a disability. He asked what kind. I told him that Jimmy had autism. His whole face lit up. "He has autism. Like me?" He was excited.
Until yesterday, aside from watching an interview with J-Mac, I could not put an adult face on autism that wasn't from the film "Rainman." I see that part of my life with a little more clarity - not that Jimmy will be exactly like him, but I now have an idea of what he could be. Of course, I would love for him to be like everyone else. But if he is like my stepdad's cousin, it's okay.
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