Our Secret Club

It's like we have a secret club . . . us autism mommies.  My radar is up and I notice things I would not have noticed before and I am more aware. 

On the bus today, I saw a boy.  He was about 10 years old and he was moving a lot and sort of waving his hands.  His movements reminded me of Little Prince.  When he spoke, he sounded young for his age and he was excited by certain sounds.  The more I noticed him with his mom, the more he reminded me of the way I imagine Little Prince would be if he could talk and the more this chatty, happy, young man made me smile.

I didn't know the protocol.  As much as I wanted to, I didn't know how to ask this mom, "Excuse me?  Is your son autistic?"  And just when I thought I was going to get off the bus without knowing, his mom spoke up and said, "He is autistic and he really likes certain sounds."  I knew it!  So we chatted for a few minutes about her boy and mine.  Her boy didn't talk at this age either and only really started talking at 6 years old. 

The best part was that there was an automatic affinity.  We were friends, we battled the same foes and knew the same joys.  Her happy, sweet, chatty boy gave me hope for my boy's future.  And on a day when Little Prince has been waking up upset by something he can't explain, I really needed to know that it gets better.