new song

The four-year-old neighbor girl sang a song to her mother with the following lyrics:

There is only fun with Martin.

There is only fun with Martin.

There is only truth with Martin.

Where is he now?

I had no idea that my child has the qualities of an anxiously-expected 1960s messianic figure.

I tell this story not only because I love the insane remarks of four-year-olds. (I am a complete sucker for those kids-say-the-darndest-things shows.) I tell it also because Martin is really making friends within his own age cohort.

Martin has had friends before. Usually, these friends are a little bit older and more mature or somewhat younger and much more immature. A similar pattern of friendship occurs in the lives of many autistic kids. Older kids are willing to show them patience and understanding. Younger kids have no clue that something is awry. Kids the same age are often impatient and suspicious. Comments from Martin's typically-developing classmates from the fall are good examples. "Martin doesn't know how to eat lunch right." Or. "Why does Martin shout when we're supposed to be quiet?" Kids in a similar age bracket are trying to figure ought what's right and wrong and how to do what they're expected to do. An autistic kid throws them off.

Martin's friendship with our four-year-old neighbor makes me think that we're past some of the rougher moments we once had within Martin's age cohort. Martin is communicating with them, usually in appropriate ways. And they are responding to him. It's exciting to see.

Martin definitely is fun. I'm skeptical about the claim that he is truth. Yesterday he told me that boogers taste good and I'm fairly certain that's not true. But he's here and he's having fun with the kids in the neighborhood. I'm so glad.