How Am I Funny?

Every year has been better than the last, but it’s been a never-ending struggle with the biomed game to find more missing pieces of the puzzle.

Things weren’t always this rosy, that’s for sure. Strolling down memory lane, I shudder to think of the horrible days of preschool. He never showed any sensory issues or stims. I think chelating early on really helped with that. He just always made off the wall remarks coupled with impulsiveness, goofiness, and very poor receptive/comprehension skills. What’s been nice though, has been jumping around schools and grade levels. We were glad to get out of preschool and get a fresh start with a new batch of kids. From first grade onwards, each class was for the most part a batch of new kids. Behavior was a struggle but improved every year, and every year he seems a little more “normal”.

Of course life has a way of reminding you of the past.

We were at Costco a couple of days ago getting free samples!!! Who can resist those?! As I was standing there with my son, another lady came up with a couple of other kids.

She said to me, “Hi! I remember your son! My daughter was in first grade with him. Boy, he’s *really* funny.” Now with just that statement alone, I figured out she was one of those annoying NT Moms (and I say that with complete jealousy!) who hung around the school all day, helping out…otherwise how would she know? I didn’t know a thing about her daughter. First grade?! Ugh, my son was a total goof back then!

Of course I say slightly sheepishly, “Oh, yes, hey…well you know him..(nervous-chuckle)” I thought that was the end of the polite banter. But….she wouldn’t let up. She says again, “No, I mean he’s like…..*really* funny.” Now she said it in a way that made it clear that he’s an unusual kid….and not that he is the comedic genius who should be writing for Saturday Night Live.

At this point, I just played it cool, and kept shut, but what was really going through my mind was Joe Pesci’s scene from the movie, GoodFellas:

“FUNNY HOW? I MEAN, FUNNY LIKE HE’S A CLOWN? DOES HE AMUSE YOU? DOES HE MAKE YOU LAUGH? HE’S HERE TO FUCKIN’ AMUSE YOU? HOW DA FUCK IS HE FUNNY? WHAT DA FUCK IS SO FUNNY ABOUT HIM? TELL ME. TELL ME WHAT’S FUNNY.”

Well, in reality I wanted to blurt out something sarcastic like, “His having autism probably has something to do with that.” That probably would’ve chopped her down a notch. But I immediately thought, “No..don’t do that.” I was certain since she’s the type that hangs out at the school all the time, she’d just feed the the gossip network of other parents….”Oh did you know that blah blah has autism?” You know…he’s so much better now than he was in first grade…” I don’t need talk like this going about him. He’s very well aware of what autism is.

I’m such a lightweight. I know people go through a lot worse scenes in a store, but I never expected to be standing there peacefully, and have the autism reminder come to me!

BTW Lady…..if the day ever comes when he’s grown up and turns out to be the next Chris Rock, I’ll print out this blog and eat it. 😉