My youngest son sat in a seat on the crowded Greyhound bus. We are traveling as a group of three, two of us were able to find seats together while he sat alone with a stranger. I kept asking if he wanted to sit with his brother. He stared at me, not speaking.
As we traveled I asked if he was hungry, he gave an almost invisible shake of his head. I asked if he needed anything, he looked at me and shrugged.
Everyone stared and I could hear the odd whisper, he should at least answer, they claimed. Kids these days, they mumbled.
I know more than they do. He is uncomfortable in crowds. Nervous about the trip. Handling things well. He sat quietly the whole way, barely saying a word.
Then...
We were waiting for our next bus, a transfer in Dallas, TX, when a gentleman asked for our attention and admitted he was humbling himself before the crowd. He needed eighteen dollars to be able to make it home for Christmas. He understood we were all struggling, but could we spare some change? A dollar?
As I reached for my dollar I could spare, my youngest son pulled out the money he'd been saving for weeks. Money for snacks on the trip, and gifts for his brothers when we reach California.
Quietly he gave the gentleman twenty dollars. He got him home for Christmas.
One of the whispering women from the previous bus saw the sneaky transaction and came over to hug him. She said to me,"You are raising a wonderful son, mamma. He was so quiet on the other bus, I didn't know..."
We wished each other a very Merry Christmas and boarded our separate buses.
Sometimes "polite" is overrated.
Hugs, smiles, and love!!
Merry Christmas!!
Autism Answers
