A LIFE OF DIVERSITY ii
(Autistic author)
The drive back
to the Chum
Bucket was quiet,
the only sound the
hum of the car engine
and the occasional
splash of a jellyfish
passing by. Karen
gripped the steering
wheel tightly, her
knuckles white with
tension. She glanced
over at Plankton in the
passenger seat, his eye
glazed over and staring
out the window.
"You ok?" she asked
tentatively.
Plankton nodded, his gaze
still fixed outside the car window.
"Everything looks the same, but
feeling... different."
"You're going to be ok," she said.
"We'll get through this."
By the time Karen pulls up in the
driveway, Plankton had fallen asleep, his
head lolling against the car window.
She gently lifts him out of the car and
carries him into their bedroom, laying
him down with care. As she watches
him sleep, she whispers, "We'll get through
this."
The next day dawns with the promise of a
new challenge. Karen wakes up to the
sight of Plankton, obsessing with the pattern
of the floor tiles.
"You ok?" Karen asked, voice soft.
Plankton looked up, his
gaze slightly unfocused.
"The floor," he said, his
voice still quiet.
"What, the floor?" Karen asked.
"The floor," Plankton repeated.
"What about it?" Karen asked.
Plankton's gaze remained fixed
on the tiles. "Plankton not same,
Plankton different," he murmured.
Karen sat down beside him. "How
are you feeling?"
"Plankton feel... weird," he said, antennae
drooping slightly. "Things to loud. Things
to bright." He paused, looking at her with
a flicker of his old mischief. "But Plankton
still love Krabby Patty."
Karen couldn't help but chuckle through tears.
"I know you do, sweetie," she said, her voice
warm with love. "But maybe it's time we focus
on something else for a while."
Plankton nodded slowly, gaze still on the floor.
"Plankton... try," he murmured, fidgeting nervously.
"Do you want for breakfast, Plankton?"
Plankton's eye didn't leave the floor.
Karen tries asking again. "Does Plankton wanna eat?"
Plankton nods, his gaze finally shifting from the floor
to meet hers. "Hungry," he said, his voice monotone
and detached.
Karen sighs and heads to the kitchen. She could
feel the weight of the new reality settling on her
shoulders, but she was determined to make things
work.
As she flipped through the recipe book, Plankton's
voice, distant yet clear, floated through the air.
"Plankton... Plankton different," he said to himself,
gaze still locked onto the floor. Karen knew he was
trying to process his new sense of self.
"Plankton still smart," he murmured, as if reassuring
himself. "But Plankton... not same." He paused, tiny body
trembling slightly. "Plankton think to loud. Plankton hear
to much." The world had become a symphony of
overwhelming stimuli, each sound and light a crescendo
that pounded against his newfound sensitivity.
Karen looked up from her cooking with empathy. "It's ok
Plankton," she said gently. "We'll learn to adapt. Maybe
we can make some changes around here to help you
feel more comfortable."
Plankton nodded, but doubt remained. "Plankton...
not know," he said, his voice filled with uncertainty.
"What if Plankton mess up?"
Karen set the frying pan aside and knelt down
beside him, taking his hands in hers. "You won't,"
she said firmly. "We'll face this together. I'll always
be here to help you, no matter what."
Plankton nodded, his gaze finally shifting from the
floor to meet hers. "Thank Karen," he said, voice
a little clearer.
"The chumbalaya is ready." She says, serving him
his favorite chum dish.
Plankton looks up from the floor, his gaze lingering
on the plate before him. "Plankton eat now?" he asks,
his voice still distant.
"Yes, sweetie," Karen says with a smile, pushing the
plate closer to him. "Eat your breakfast."
"Eat breakfast," Plankton parrots back, his tone flat.
He picks up a spoon and stares at it, his hand
shaking slightly. The simple task of bringing it to
his mouth seems daunting under the weight of his
new reality.
Karen's smile falters a little
but she keeps the conversation
going. "It's a beautiful day out
side, Plankton. Would
you like to go for a walk?"
"Walk outside," Plankton repeats
echoing the monotone rhythm
of hers. He stands up, his
movements stiff and deliberate
as if he's not quite sure of his
body's new limitations.
"Oh I meant after finishing breakfast,"
Karen says.
"Walk after breakfast," Plankton echoes.
Karen nods encouragingly. "Yes, after
you eat." She watches as he carefully
brings the spoon to his mouth, his
movements tentative and slow. Each
bite is a victory, a declaration of normalcy
in a world that had suddenly become any
thing but.
"Good boy," she says, voice filled with pride.
Plankton looks up, his eye searching hers.
"Good boy," he repeats, his voice a mirror of
hers, but the words don't quite fit. Karen
noticed how he just repeated the phrase she's
said. It's called echolalia, a trait often seen in
those with autism, and it's something they're
going to have to navigate together. She
decides to keep her words positive and
encouraging, hoping it'll help him feel more
at ease. "Yes, let's go for a walk," she confirms.
They step outside into the vibrant world of Bikini
Bottom, and they start their slow stroll down the
boardwalk.
The sun was shining, casting a warm glow over the
coral reefs and the colorful fish swimming by. The
smell of the ocean was a soothing balm to Karen's
frayed nerves, and she hoped it would have the same
effect on Plankton. He walked beside her, his steps
halting and unsure, his antennae twitching at every
new sound.
As they approached the boardwalk, they saw a familiar
figure in the distance. "Look, Plankton," Karen said, her
voice a mix of excitement and trepidation, "it's SpongeBob."
Plankton's antennae shot up, and his eye widened. "Sponge...
Bob," he murmured, recognizing him.
Karen took a deep breath and tightened her grip
on Plankton's hand. She knew SpongeBob had
a heart of gold, but she also knew he could be
potentially overwhelming.
As they approached, Sponge Bob spotted them
and waved enthusiastically. "Hi, Karen! Hi, Plankton!"
His voice was a welcome sound in the quiet morning
and Karen braced herself for whatever would come next.
"Hi, Sponge Bob," she says.
Sponge Bob's face lit up. "Oh boy, Plankton! What's shakin'?"
Plankton stiffened, antennae quivering as he tried to process
the sudden influx of sensory input. "Sponge Bob," he said
slowly, his voice measured and careful. "Plankton... walk."
Sponge Bob looked from Karen to Plankton, his expression
growing concerned. "Is everything ok, Plankton?" he asked,
eyes full of genuine care. "You seem a bit... off your game to
day."
Plankton stared at him, composing response.
"Walk," Plankton repeated. "Plankton walk."
Sponge Bob looked confused but nodded, his eyes filled with
concern. "Ok Plankton," he said gently. "Would you like to walk
with me?"
Plankton's antennae twitched
and he nodded. "Walk with Sponge
Bob," he agreed, his
voice still monotone.
Sponge Bob took Plankton's
other hand, and together, the
three of them began their
leisurely stroll
along the boardwalk.