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Socialising |
It can strike fear into anyone (well ok not everyone)
But if your autistic then it doesn’t sit well with us
And we have to really overthink it and analyse it and work ourselves up to the monumental moment when the time comes to head outside of our house and into the cold, bleak, world!
Eeekkkk!
Ok it’s not that bad outside.
Or is it?
No it’s fine.
Ok maybe we’re deluding ourselves?
Are we?
Ok look let’s agree to disagree that for this tale it’s ok.
And then it’s the what outfit to wear, where are we going?
What time, what’s the menu like?
What are the toilets like?
Will it be busy at that time?
Will we be seated in a non-smoking part?
Will little kids be running around?
What if we don’t like what’s on the menu can we go somewhere else?
Can we scope it out beforehand?
I mean the endless questions.
Then the text messages start coming in thick and fast, who’s in and whose out.
Who’s got the best excuse and who hasn’t.
So I was scrolling through a social media feed (invented by some guy called Mark) no more clues.
And a post appeared in my feed.
A friend of mine whom I’d known for 6 years was flying out on her first holiday in 11 years.
I didn’t pay that much attention at first to be honest, no details were tagged in the post, so it didn’t read flying from the Gold Coast Airport to wherever.
But something, instinct maybe made me or alerted me to click into the post (ok it was nosiness alright?) Y
es, I am that person. Anyway low and behold a friend of hers who happened to live 20 minutes away from me at Hillarys commented see you when you get here.
Now to say that I was a little disappointed that she hadn’t messaged me or anything but still.
So on the Friday I messaged her she said that she was heading to Rottnest Island and that when she got back she’d message me and we’d meet up.
A week passed as it does, and I’d heard nothing. Meanwhile on that social media site run by Mark (don’t you just envy him?) anyway more posts were popping up “look at me in Margaret River” or “Look at me petting the animals” or “look at the rain down in Busselton from my hotel window”.
WTF
Then (and this the bit where you dear readers grab your pitch forks and sticks of burning flames and get really, really angry) she was hosting a get together of some of her WA friends (this post has since been deleted) and so I thought stupidly (I’d crossed my fingers) that I would get an invite.
So I posted a comment along the lines of “Enjoy yourself” and then the inevitable message. Along the lines of sorry but you’re not invited along to tonight’s party it’s because your autism is an embarrassment to me.
I instantly replied with the words f**k you and similar words all with asterisk in them funny that!
I then wrote a reply other than using those key words which went along the lines of “the only person who should be embarrassed here is you, your narrow mindedness and unwillingness to accept me as a human being first and foremost and that my disability isn’t something which I’m ashamed of.
in fact I’m a loud proud autistic guy whose friendship you don’t deserve.
I heard nothing back. So in the modern world in which we live I did the only thing I could do, block the b***h.
And even though it impacted me emotionally and mentally and it angered me beyond belief, I knew that she wasn’t a friend that I needed in my life, and after the blocking took place I felt good and at peace with myself.
Ok maybe the strong language wasn’t going to shine me in a good light but I think in some instances it’s justified.
My message is embrace your uniqueness, embrace your disability, shun her jealousy which I believe it actually was, because who doesn’t want to be in my new squad Awesome Autistics?
All I can promise is that as a member of this new squad (membership details are still being worked out) you all should have each other’s backs and be awesome together.
Also and this is just a side line option I think that we should get our own national anthem.
Drop your thoughts about this into an email and send them through to me.
Autistic Nick 