**Autism Awareness of the Day!**

My Facebook status at the moment…

Robyn Rodriguez Gillis **Autism Awareness of the Day** A child that seems like he/she is misbehaving in public may have a neurological condition or developmental challenges that are causing them to behave that way. Their parent/s won’t like it if you take it upon yourself to discipline said “misbehaving child” – just an FYI dedicated to the woman who told my Ro to “knock it the hell off” when he screamed in frustration in Target today.

Sigh…

We went to Target today.  Really, I shouldn’t have brought Ro out when he was feeling sick, but we needed water, and his Dad was away, so I had no choice but to bring him with me to get it.

He loves to ride in the cart (the big part), so I helped him climb in, and then I helped him climb out at the toy section.  I told him that if he wanted to get back in, he had to stay in, because he’s 80 lbs. now, and it’s really hard to help him in and out of the carriage!  lol

Two minutes later, he saw something he wanted to look at out of the cart.  When he asked me if he could get out again, I said no. Being Ro, and being Ro sick, he screamed in protest  “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

There was a woman beside us.  She leaned into his face, and without giving me a chance to properly correct my own son, she YELLED, “KNOCK IT THE HELL OFF!”

Hmm.  Ohhh…this is not a good way to approach Mama  or her babies today.  Lots going on, patience hanging on by a thread… Mama doesn’t play this.

However, I have The Loudon with me, so my first response is…”Don’t you EVER speak that way to my child! I’m his mother and I will discipline him!”

This trick has the gall to say, “Well, please do!”

And again, Mama didn’t play that.

Mama YELLED for everyone in Target to hear, “HE HAS AUTISM LADY!!! IT’S A NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION – LOOK IT UP!!! AND EVERYDAY HE STRUGGLES LIKE YOU CAN’T IMAGINE TO NOT SCREAM WHEN HE IS UPSET!!! DON’T YOU EVER SPEAK THAT WAY TO MY, OR ANY OTHER CHILD AGAIN!!!”

And she shut her yap.

Then, I almost passed out with high blood pressure and rage.

Oy, time for a glass of wine.

p.s.  My status had about 20 responses with offers to bitch-slap, shove hangers up asses and to “take down that bitch.”  I love my girls. 🙂

WE ARE BACK!

Mama had to kick that other blog to the curb and come back to her natural home here at WordPress.

I thought it would be better there…I really did…I tried!

But in the words of baby Chel, “Me no like it.”

Keep checking in for new posts daily!

Just my Ten Cents.

I’m rushing to pick up my boys.  I have 10 minutes to get to their school, and it takes me seven.  I’m a little anxious that I might be late, but not too worried, since I always make it there in under ten.

I’m nearing the end of South Street, when I see this ancient woman standing almost in the middle of the road trying to flag down a driver.  Nobody is stopping…and I am nearing her, closer, closer, anybody, anyone?  Bueller?  Bueller? 

Damn!  I have to stop!  I won’t sleep tonight if I don’t!

Hesitantly, I edge over to the side of the road and roll down my window.

Mama:  “Are you okay?  Do you need some help?”

Methuselah’s wife:  “Oh, Jesus!  Oh, Jesus!”

She opens my passenger’s door…and…she’s…IN!

Brain 2000:   Holy crap!  Holy crap!  Old lady in the car!!  Old lady!! Old lady!!  The old lady just got in my car!!  Now, what the hell do I do?!!  I have to get my kids!  My boys are going to be alone at pick up!!  I can’t pick them up with Memaw in the car!! I’m going to be late!!  Ooh, I really want one of Noni’s doughnuts… How do I get her out!!  What the hell does she want?  And for the love of all that is holy, WHAT IS THAT SMELL???

I start by asking her if she is lost.

Meme:   I don’t know!  I don’t know where I am!  What’s that street say?

Mama:  South Street.

Oldest woman alive:  Oh, I don’t know that street!  Oh, this car is so warm!  I love this!  What’s going on?

Hmmm…

Mama:  What’s your name?

Great Granny:   Lil.

Mama:  You have your purse, maybe you have some ID, and we can see where you live?

She pulls out her wallet.  It’s empty, except for a lonely dime.

Lil:  I have this dime.  It’s all I have.  Will that help?  What’s your name honey? You are such a lovely girl. What is your name? What a good girl you are. Where are we going?…OH!  I dropped my dime!!  OH NO, OH NO!!

Mama:  (pulling a dime from my car’s change holder) Lil, Lil!  Relax!  Here it is!

She relaxes…

Mama:  My name is Robyn.  Like the bird.

For some Memaw reason, she finds this hysterical, and she laughs like a lunatic on the fringe for 5 straight minutes! 

Hey, I like my name, Grandma!

Lil:  (calm now)  What’s your name, honey?  And where are you taking me?

Mama:  It’s Robyn, Lil.  And we are going to the police station.

Lil:  You’re dropping me off somewhere?  Oh, I don’t like this!  You were a good girl!!

Mama:  No, no.  Lil, I’m taking you to some detectives that can figure out where you live!  I’m not dropping you somewhere.  They’ll help you!

Lil:  Oh, you’re a good girl!  What’s your name, honey?

Oy.  Alzheimer’s is tough.

We pull up to the police station, I lead her inside and explain to the detectives what happened.  They take her into the back and give me a wink and a little laugh as I go.

I have two minutes until dismissal.  It’s all I can think about.

I sprint to my car.

When I sit down in the driver’s seat, after I roll all the windows down, gagging, trying to air out the smell, something shiny catches my eye beside me.  It’s Lil’s dime on the passenger’s seat. 

I’m a little mad at myself now.  I was so intent on handing her off as quickly as possible.  She smelled, I was late, who knew what she was going to do…blah, blah, blah. Here’s a sick, defenseless old woman, obviously suffering from Alzheimer’s, and I know I’m a Mom, and I have to always think about my kids first…but sometimes you have to slow down, remember that we are all human beings.

Even  10,000 year old Memaws with fading minds.  Especially, 10,000 year old Memaws with fading minds.  Judging from the smell, and the fact that she was walking into moving traffic, someone wasn’t caring for Lil the way she deserves.

My kids are young and healthy, and they were waiting for me in their warm school, with their lovely teachers – just a phone call and a few minutes away if I was going to be late. 

So, if you are rushing some day, and you see a Memaw or a Pepaw wandering around looking confused, if you see a child looking lost and alone in Target, or if you see a Mother with her children broken down on the side of the road, etc. etc. 

You know what to do. 

And believe me, I’m reminding myself of this as much as I am reminding you. 

 

That’s just my ten cents.

 

p.s. The next day, while I was out on a walk on the same street, I was chased by a flock of angry wild turkeys.  No joke.  What is the universe trying to tell me, man!!??

p.p.s.  If I am ever wandering around in traffic without a coherent thought in my ancient head, smelling like pee pee extreme, please take a Louisville slugger to my noggin.  Don’t bother going the humane Kevorkian route -just the bat, and quickly.