Has Already Been Seen By The Doctor

Police | Working | June 16, 2014

(It is my first month working in the police. One colleague says he doesn’t understand what my high-functioning-autism is, and keeps trying to get me to sit with him and his friends at lunch. I and several others (including the disability liaison) explain again and again about neurodevelopmental disabilities, but he keeps saying he doesn’t understand. Eventually, they give up and lie, saying ‘he’s just crazy, leave him alone.’ The next day he comes up to me sitting alone on a coffee break.)

Coworker: “[Coworker] just told me that all your disability stuff is because you’re crazy. That’s not true; your exam scores are really high. You’re not crazy, right?”

(At this point I decide to play along and quote Ood Server from ‘Doctor Who.’)

Me: *deadpan* “The Beast and his armies shall rise from the Pit, to make war against God.”

Coworker: “Oh, so you ARE crazy! That’s great! Now I get it!”

(Then he walked off smiling. He’s never bothered me again.)

This story is part of the Autism Awareness roundup!