I must have been 2-3 years old. I sat on the living room floor, nestled amongst the thick, dark brown carpet fibers at my grandparents house. I had been busy observing the couch with that funny, pushed-down lavender weave dotted with the most fabulous speckles of tiny reds and blues. The carpet was somewhat delightful in its thick coarseness. I played with the shag fibers, pulling on them and wrapping one or two around my fingers. It was a strange, new place but I had something to play with and my brother was on the floor with me. He was smiling and if Guido was smiling, than everything must be okay.
Out of the back room comes this tall woman. Without warning, she bends over, puts her hands under my arms and lifts me up with a start and a jolt. I went into wide-eyed shock mode as this strange person dug her hands into my ribs, brought me close to her face close enough that I could count every tooth had I been able to count. She spoke harsh and raspy and very loud. Her breath hot and smelling like garlic and sausage.
Me, being my normal Aspie toddler self promptly broke out into wailing and tears. This highly infuriated the woman. Her words became sharper. The hands holding me grew offended and she handed me off to my mother for consolation. Since that moment, it would be very fair to say that I never liked her again and she most certainly expressed the same sentiments to me. We were unable to ever connect and kept each other at a respectable distance.
My Grandpa, on the other hand, Gramps who had opened the door to let us in, was a most different story. My father had handed me to him and everything about him was warm and soft. His voice was quiet, with small squeals of delight and his hands were large and more gentle. He held me like a china doll whereas Grandmother held me as if I was a rag.
Grandpas soft voice sounded like a melody and I thoroughly enjoyed being held in his arms. Little did I know at the time, how very much we had in common, both being carriers of the autism gene. My paternal grandparents were like night and day.
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