An Up of Autism

Like having a child with curly hair or a child with blue eyes, or any child really, having a child with autism has its up's and down's. Yesterday, we got one of the up's from The Mermaid. As you may know, people with autism tend not to notice social mores much, so tact can be an issue (which reminds me of a hilarious thing that one of my friends' then-wife said to him after he said something rude: "Dave, remember that thing we talked about? Tact?"). The following is a transcription of a conversation that The Mermaid, Enthusio and I had yesterday at about 11 a.m. in our living room:

Webbed Toe (WT): OK, I have to go to work for a while.

Mermaid (M): Why can't I go?

WT: It would be really boring. I can't let you be on the computer because I have to use it.

M: I could take the GameBoy.

WT: Well, I think Mom is planning to take you guys to Davis Diamonds [a gym with open hours on Saturdays].

M: OK, I would rather do that than go to work with you.

WT (chuckling): That's one thing I love about you, Mermaid. You're always honest.

E: What does honest mean?

WT: It means that Mermaid doesn't lie.

M: Well, I do sometimes.

And that, my friends, is one of the up's of having a child with autism.