Martha Beck
Don't even think about picking on one of my kids!
Yesterday Alec and I went to the Goodwill, as we do once a week. He is looking for the movie Open Season on DVD, for his collection, and we haven't found it yet. Anyway, I was about fifteen feet away from him, looking at something when I heard his familiar noise that he makes when he is distressed. I looked over at him and called out to him, asking him if he was okay. He had his back to me and had put his hands over his ears like he does when upset, and wouldn't pay any attention to me calling for him. Just then a young woman ran up to me and said she had been trying to figure out who was with Alec. She knew Jenna, but realized that she was not in the store and then was trying to find who WAS with our guy. When she heard me call out to Alec, she came right over and told me to watch a grown man and his two kids standing by Alec. Alec had toppled over a few DVDs on the shelf, and the man poked him with his cane and said some snotty things to him. The young lady, whose name is Molly, said she went right over to him and told him to leave Alec alone, explained that he has autism, and he wasn't doing anything wrong. The man told her she should be staying right "with her kid", if that was the case. She told him she was one of his teachers from his school, and she didn't appreciate the man picking on someone's kid and poking him with a cane. She and I just stood there watching the man, until he noticed what we were doing. Alec kept on looking at the DVDs, but would edge away from the guy and his kids. He wasn't quite sure what just went on and what exactly he was supposed to do. Shortly after that the man and his kids left. I do think he wasn't aware of the autism situation, but being a snot to any kid is unacceptable. I also think that maybe Alec taught him a lesson and made him aware that not every kid is "mainstream". Anyway, the guy DID look a little ashamed.
Everyone at Alec's school is so supportive and protective. Jenna told me that one time she was walking down the hallway with him when he had just started at this school and two kids about 12 or 13, who were right behind them, began to snicker and make under-their-breath remarks. She turned and asked them "What's so FUNNY? Is there something that is FUNNY?" The kids backed down right away, but I am sure that they were stunned to have a beautiful, six-foot tall tigress mama take them to task about their behavior. So far, we haven't heard of any problems at school since.
It's just part of life, I guess
GOD BLESS YOU ALL