(Autistic author)
Plankton had a mind
that marched to the
beat of a different sea
anemone. And only
Plankton and Karen
knew about it. "It's
not complicated," she
said softly. "It's just
who you are, and it's
what makes you so
brilliant at what you do.
It's why you're able to
focus like nobody else,
why you see patterns
that no one else can
and why you're so
passionate."
But today, he came to
the park when he got
triggered at the sight
of Pearl.
Plankton's eye rolled
back, his body went
rigid. SpongeBob, who
had been watching
him from afar, noticed.
He waved his hand in
front of Plankton, but
no response.
"Plankton? Plankton,
buddy, are you ok?" Sponge
Bob asked. He placed a
gentle hand on Plankton's
shoulder, but he flinched
violently at the unexpected
touch.
He was in the throes of a
sensory meltdown, his
small frame trembling
with the effort to keep
it all at bay.
SpongeBob wasn't one
to shy away from lending
a hand, even to his
adversaries. "Looks like
you've had too much park
for one day," Sponge Bob
said. He gently Plankton
away to a quiet bench
beneath a giant kelp tree.
Eventually Plankton's
breathing slowed as he
sat, antennae stilling.
Sponge Bob took a
seat beside him, his
porous yellow body
a comforting presence
in the shade spot. "You
ok now, Plank?"
Plankton blinked rapidly,
eye refocusing on the
world around him. "Too
much... too much every
thing," he murmured,
voice sounding strained.
"Yeah, the park can be like
that. But hey, we all have
limits," Sponge Bob said. He
handed Plankton a jelly
sandwich. "Here, this might help."
Plankton took the sandwich
tentatively, eye darting around.
He didn't want anyone else to
see him like this. His condition
was his secret, one he feared
would be used against him. In
Bikini Bottom, where everyone
had their quirks and eccentricities
his was something he felt set him
apart, something that could be
weaponized by the likes of Mr. Krabs.
He took a bite, the sweet and sour
flavor momentarily grounding him.
"Thanks, Sponge Bob," he managed
to say, his voice still shaky.
Sponge Bob nods. He'd always
known Plankton was different, but
he'd never seen him so overwhelmed
before.
"It's ok buddy! We all get overwhelmed
sometimes." But SpongeBob never seen
such a reaction..
The two sat. Plankton took slow
deliberate breaths, clutching the
sandwich. His mind was racing
with thoughts, fearful of what
Sponge Bob might think of him,
of what everyone else might think
if they knew.
Sponge Bob noticed turmoil
in Plankton's eye. He knew his
friend was more than just a
simple-minded villain; he had
depths that no one else in
Bikini Bottom seemed to
understand. Something's up
with Plankton, SpongeBob knew
that much.
The jellyfish jelly sandwich sat
forgotten between Plankton's
trembling fingers. He looked at
Sponge Bob, blinking rapidly. "I-I
don't know what happened," he stutters.
Sponge Bob nods solemnly. He had
a feeling Plankton wasn't just talking
about the park. He knew that look, that
desperate attempt to articulate
something much bigger than oneself.
It was a look he'd seen in his best friend
Patrick during his own moments of
distress. But Plankton wasn't Patrick; he
was a complex being with secrets of his own.
"Well, Plank, you're obviously going through
something," Sponge Bob replied, patting him
on the back. "I've seen you in all sorts of
pickles before, but never like this. It's like the
park got to you in a way it's never done before.
I know you're more than just a tiny
troublemaker with a big brain. Maybe you're
dealing with something like..." Sponge Bob
trailed off, searching for the right words.
Plankton's antennae shot up. "Like what?"
he asked with defensiveness.
"Well, like maybe your senses are extra sensitive,"
Sponge Bob offered.
Plankton looked at Sponge Bob. "What are you
talking about? I-I'm not like that," he said quickly
trying to brush off the comment. But the words
felt hollow, even to him.
Sponge Bob, however, wasn't so easily deterred.
He had a knack for understanding his friends
and he wasn't going to let this go. "I've seen it
before, Plank. When Patrick gets overwhelmed, he
shuts down too," he said, his voice gentle but firm.
"And it's ok. Everyone in Bikini Bottom has their
quirks. It's what makes us all special."
Plankton stared at Sponge Bob. The fear of being
seen as weak or different was something he'd
carried with him since he was young. But there
was something in Sponge Bob's gaze that made
him feel... seen. "What do you mean, Sponge Bob?"
he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Sponge Bob paused for a moment, considering
his words carefully. "Well, Plank," he began,
"sometimes when things are too much for Patrick
he needs some quiet time to regroup. Maybe
you're the same way, buddy. Maybe your brain
works differently, and that's what makes you so smart!"
Plankton's heart skipped a beat. He knew all about
his own autism. But he had never told about it other
than Karen. It was his secret, one that he feared
could be used against him.
But Sponge Bob had seen through his façade, had seen
the truth in that one moment of vulnerability. Plankton
felt exposed. What would happen?
He took a deep breath and looked up at Sponge Bob.
"What do you mean by 'quirks'?" He tried to keep his
voice steady, but the tremor was still there.
"Well, you know," Sponge Bob said, his tone assuring,
"like how Patrick gets when he tries to think too hard
because of his..."
But he couldn't find the right words. Plankton's mind
raced. He didn't want pity or misunderstanding. He
didn't want Sponge Bob to treat him differently, or
worse, tell.
"And you, Plank, you're always so focused on
your inventions. Maybe it's all part of your..."
Plankton's cutting Sponge Bob off before
he could say. "My... what?"
Sponge Bob paused, his smile faltering slightly.
"Well, you know, how you get so focused on things.
Like with your inventions," he said. "And today I
noticed the world can be too much for you to handle
all at once."
Plankton's worked so hard to keep his condition
hidden, to ensure no one could use it against him
in his quest for the Krabby Patty formula. But Sponge
Bob wasn't just anyone; he was his... well, not best
friend, but certainly an acquaintance who had shown
him kindness on more than one occasion.
"I'm... I'm not sure what you're talking about, Sponge
Bob," Plankton lied, his voice strained.
But Sponge Bob knew. "I know it's tough to talk about
Plank," he said gently. "But I've noticed things. Like how
you get really focused on your work, or how sometimes
the little stuff throws you off."
Plankton's eye widened. "I-I'm just... particular," he stuttered.
"Plank, I know you're not like everyone else, and that's ok.
Maybe you've got some..."
"Sorry, Sponge Bob," Plankton said abruptly, pushing himself up.
"I've got to get back to the Chum Bucket." Without waiting for
a response, he bolted, his legs a blur of movement as he darted
through the crowd.
Sponge Bob watched him go, realizing they both knew. Plankton
was more than just a villain with a penchant for stealing recipes;
he was a friend in his own peculiar way. And friends looked out
for each other, even if they didn't always see eye to eyes.
Sponge Bob hesitated for a moment before following.
Sponge Bob cautiously approached the bedroom door, which
was slightly ajar. Through the gap, he could see Plankton and
Spot. Plankton's holding a baby blue weighted blanket, further
confirming SpongeBob's suspicions.
The sight was unexpected. Plankton, the mastermind behind
so many Krabby Patty heists, curled up under the blanket.
Spot, ever loyal, lay by his side, providing comfort with a gentle
nudge every few seconds. It was a side of Plankton that Sponge
Bob had never seen before, and it was clear that Plankton had
the telltale sensitivities that come with autism.
Sponge Bob's heart swelled. He knew what it felt like
to be different, to struggle with things that came so
naturally to others. He didn't know much about autism
but he knew that it didn't define Plankton, just as his
own square shape didn't define him.
He tapped lightly
on the door. "Plankton?"
"S-Sponge Bob?"
"I know something's up.
Can we talk about it?"
Plankton sighed. Here he was, caught in
the act of being less than the supervillain
he strived to be.
The room was cluttered with half-finished
inventions and gizmos, but there was a
small, tidy corner where Spot slept. The
amoeba looked up and wagged his tail
but stayed by Plankton.
"I just needed to..."
"You don't have to
explain, Plank."
Plankton peered
at him over the
edge of the
blanket. "You
don't know what's
going on?"
"Well, I know the park was just to
much for you today."
Plankton sighed. "It's... it's just that
everything gets so loud and bright
and..." He trailed off.
Sponge Bob nods. "Sometimes the world
can be a real krabby krabby place. But you
know what? You've got friends who won't
think any less of you for needing a break."
Plankton's antennae twitched with skepticism.
"Friends, like who?" he asked, his voice still
muffled by the fabric.
Sponge Bob leaned in closer. "Friends like me," he
said firmly. "I know we're not exactly buddies, but
we're not enemies either, not deep down. And I've
noticed things about you, Plankton. Like how you
sometimes need a break from all the noise and
the chaos. And that's ok."
Plankton looked up at him, his single eye
blinking rapidly.
"I don't know everything about it, but I know
what it's like to struggle," Sponge Bob replied.
"And if you need help figuring this out, I'm here for you."