The Hope Journal

The Hope Journal-Chapter 2 (Sam)

Thanks for reading everyone! Now you are going to get a glimpse at who Sam really is.

Enjoy!

Chapter 2

~Sam~

     Having Asperger's isn't a disability. Some may think it is but in all actuality it's an advantage. Sara always says that I'm an undiscovered genius. Sure, I have a photographic memory and I can recite almost anything that I hear or read, but that doesn't qualify me as a genius. I do well in school and my teachers all love me but I'm not the most popular kid in school. In fact, I'm probably considered a freak at my school. It's not like anyone there actually understands me. No one else has Asperger's. Sure there are some kids that are marked as being weird because they have so called 'disabilities'. But normally I'm the freak. Because I seem normal on the outside people think of me as different because I can't do what they can. I love Science and Math because I catch up on things in those classes quickly. I hate gym class though. It's not my fault that I am clumsy and have uncoordinated motor skills. I've never learned how to ride a bike and any game that involves a ball usually doesn't turn out to well when I'm playing.

     Once, when I was nine, before Mom and Dad got a divorce, we went rock climbing. My counselor thought that it would be good for me. I was so excited to go but when we got there I broke down. It wasn't that I was scared of the height. It was more the fact that I was scared of what others would think. We went home right away. The next week when I told my counselor what happened she smiled and gave me a sticker. She said that it was good that I was nervous about what my peers thought of me. I didn't understand that and to this day I don't. Why was it a good thing? I tried to ask Mom about it but she just gave me one of those sad smiles and hugged me.

     After Mom and Dad got a divorce, and Mom started dating Bob, things changed. Mom wouldn't take care of me like she used to and Sara ended up doing the bulk of the chores and other stuff around the house. We also got rid of my counselor and I got a social skills tutor. Her name was Alexa, she was in college, and I really liked her. She taught me how to interact with my peers using eye contact, body gestures, and facial expressions. But, when she graduated from college three years later she couldn't tutor me any more. She moved and I've never talked to her since. I've always thought that it was a weird coincidence that she left after Mom and Bob left. Sara always said that it was because she wanted to move on with her life but I think that it's because we could no longer pay her. I currently have no tutor or counselor and Sara says that it shows. Unfortunetly, we can't pay for it so I have to do without.

     Sara tries her best to take care of me. She works after school, at an afterschool daycare called 'Happy Daycare', which in my opinon is the stupidest name that I have ever heard, and she comes home at six o'clock every night. As soon as she gets home she makes me dinner. One of my pet peeves is that I can't have colors mix or touch. So, we have colored food days. Monday's are red, Tuesday's are yellow, Wednesday's are green, Thursday's are Blue, Friday's are Orange, Saturday's are Brown, and Sunday's are whatever color Sara wants, as long as it's only one color. My outfits for those day's also match. Then, after we eat dinner, 6:30 every night, Sara does her homework while I look at my bug books.

     I love bugs. They fascinate me. Another routine of mine is that every Saturday, after our 10 o'clock grocery store run, we go to the library. Sara always allows me to get two bug books. There are five-hundred seventy six bug books in the library and I have read them all. Twice. I know everything about bugs from the Poinciana Longicorn to the Snakefly. Sara, however, hates bugs. She doesn't understand why I'm "obsessed" with them. I just tell her that because there are so many I never get bored learning about them. Whenever I see a bug I'll spout out information that I know about them. That works on Sara's nerves, but I can't really blame her. Most normal people wouldn't care if a common housefly has a maximum flying speed of five miles per hour and can beat their one pair of wings 200 times per second. I do though.

     Most normal people don't understand Aspies like me but I can't blame them. I don't even understand myself sometimes but this is who I am and I'm not going to change for anything. So if you don't like me, well tough.

Authors Note: So, you got to meet Sam. What do you think of him?? Once again since I am entered in the Gatekeepers contest VOTE VOTE VOTE! If you like this story I would love to know. I would also love it if you could get some of your friends to read it and vote. Thanks everyone!

Chapter 3 will be up soon!

-Hope!