Susan Senator

Yesterday was feeling great. We were all just home, hanging out. I got a call from my close friend R to go to the gym; we had not seen each other for over a week, which is unusual for us. So, a lot of laughs on the treadmill and then I moved to the Stairmaster, gasping laughs and intermittent talking. We did the hot tub, catching up on local politics and school issues, nearing hysterical laughing while the hot bubbly water churned around us. Is there anything better than a hot, charybdis-like soak (minus the deadly vortex mishegas) after a killer workout, with a friend who just has the best sense of humor? And as we were dressing, more laughing; I told her about an invention I have in mind — nothing important, folks, just silly and fun. R’s husband is a patent lawyer so she says I should talk to him. Maybe I’ll become so rich I could self-publish my crappy novels, create my own magazine (Fabulous over Forty: it would feature real women, not models, wearing fantastic clothes and with all kinds of articles about life over forty, but not in that stupid More Magazine/Hollywood/O way; there’d be disabled people, fat people, short people, but everyone would look their absolute best and would write something amazing), etc., etc., hire a house cleaner, start a school for autistic teens, blah, blah, where’s my meds.

Then, (back to my so far, so good day), Ned got Nat ready for his playdate! He was going to the movies with DJ, his first friend (this friendship started with Special Olympics gymnastics, when Nat was 15). DJ and Nat love the same movies and are about the same level expressively and behaviorally. DJ’s a bit more academically-inclined, but I feel that Nat is a bit more socially in tune with people. Enough with the autie-compare!!!! Point is, I love DJ because he is Nat’s friend and it is so great to see them together. Tommy, DJ’s “buddy,” (a student in his early twenties) took them to the 1 o’clock showing of Charlotte’s Web, only to find it was a 2 o’clock showing! But Tommy just winged it — brave soul — and took them to a book store!!!! Not exactly Nat’s favorite place, and needless to say, with that abrupt change of plans, everyone within a one-mile radius was in the Pinching Zone.

But nothing happened. Nat was able to shrug it off, knowing that he had to be calm if he wanted to stay with DJ and see the movie. That’s my Miniman!!!!!!!!! Does what he can.

How wonderfully different, on so many levels, for Nat to be the one out and about with a friend, and Max and Ben home without much to do except puppy around? I think we all felt a very sweet release to have things like that, just the four of us, but also knowing Nat was happy. A rare, blessed moment.