Autism: Nine Year Olds and Driving...

Once upon a time there was a nine year old who took his mom and his little brother for a little drive. He wasn't in the driver's seat. His mother wasn't either. No one was.

You see, the nine year old was upset that he had to go to school. There was a winter snowstorm coming and school was supposed to be cancelled. Only it wasn't.

The boy and his mom argued. His mom wrote a social story. No use.

The boy wrote on the calendar that he was supposed to stay home on that day. His mom erased the "h" for home and put an "s" for school. No use. The boy changed it back--and so it went.

The mom stopped arguing. She called the school secretary and told her the boy was having some trouble understanding that school was in session. The mom asked the lady to tell the principal and the boy's teacher that the boy might be making some noise when he came to school.

She packed the boy's back pack. She put on her coat, her boots, hat and gloves. Then she started the van and let it run because that is what you are supposed to do when it is cold outside. Finally, she scraped the van's windows.

The mom went inside and told the boy's little brother (already dressed to go outside) to get in the van. He did. She told his older brother to put on his coat and boots. He didn't. The mom told the boy she would wrap him up in a blanket and carry him like a baby if he didn't listen. He didn't, so she did.

The mom carried the boy to the van and put him on his seat. She put his coat and boots down beside him. The boy did not sit down. He jumped up to the front of the van. He grabbed the gear. Mom grabbed the boy.

She put the boy into the seat and had him buckle up. The boy was excited. He said he had to fix "it." Mom did not know what "it" was. Then suddenly the van started to roll--backwards.

The mom hollared and reached over to stop the van. She put it in park. She looked out the back window and saw that they could haved rolled over "Ray" their next door neighbor who was walking to work. The neighbor was her husband's coworker. She had a feeling that her husband would be hearing the story soon and not from her.

And that was the story about how the nine year old took his family for a little drive. It lasted five seconds. They went ten feet--if that. The drive was short. The memory will last longer...

The mom's little boy with autism did not make National News for his driving stunt, but there was a nine year old that did. He made International news by driving himself and his mom through three lanes of traffic during rush hour. Only that boy saved their lives. Our drive wasn't that great...

Epilogue: The mom of the non-heroic driver thought he might have a terrible day at school, but he didn't. His teacher said the visual schedule at school worked and that the boy actually had a pretty good day.