Stranger in a strange land ...
Today in a town not too far drinking coffee in a café, whilst Shirley was shopping, an incident kicked off between an irate male and two of the young female serving staff.
No, it is not what you think.
Having intervened, as the other customers gawped, as it was a Autistic man (to how I know, it didn’t take much to work out), probably older than myself very upset that the chairs and tables outside the café were ‘an obstruction’ and was an offence under the ‘highways act’.
Inconsolable, he ranted and stomped for about five minutes whilst the onlookers became increasingly more threatening to him, before he wandered off into town.
Now for the thought ...
Who needed protecting, society from him, or him from society.
As the situation worsened, I could see that no one else could see, what I was seeing, someone with a high functioning disability, inept at social interaction, seeing a wrong but reacting badly. Everyone else, could see a nuisance, a threat and an insult to their sensibilities. The threat they posed to him became greater than the initial threat he posed, and worse, they would feel justified.
I don’t feel the need to justify the deed of this soul, it was wrong, just I would ask if he was aware. As we have enjoyed progress, where there has been greater social integration for individuals such has he, I wonder if we have done some of them an injustice. The majority do not understand, many more likely do not wish to.
Alas ...
No, it is not what you think.
Having intervened, as the other customers gawped, as it was a Autistic man (to how I know, it didn’t take much to work out), probably older than myself very upset that the chairs and tables outside the café were ‘an obstruction’ and was an offence under the ‘highways act’.
Inconsolable, he ranted and stomped for about five minutes whilst the onlookers became increasingly more threatening to him, before he wandered off into town.
Now for the thought ...
Who needed protecting, society from him, or him from society.
As the situation worsened, I could see that no one else could see, what I was seeing, someone with a high functioning disability, inept at social interaction, seeing a wrong but reacting badly. Everyone else, could see a nuisance, a threat and an insult to their sensibilities. The threat they posed to him became greater than the initial threat he posed, and worse, they would feel justified.
I don’t feel the need to justify the deed of this soul, it was wrong, just I would ask if he was aware. As we have enjoyed progress, where there has been greater social integration for individuals such has he, I wonder if we have done some of them an injustice. The majority do not understand, many more likely do not wish to.
Alas ...
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