A LIFE OF DIVERSITY vii
(Autistic author)
"We're just going to do what you want. How about a trivia game?"
Plankton's antennae perked up slightly at the mention of
a game, his love for competition never truly forgotten.
"Trivia," he echoed, his voice still monotone but with a
hint of interest.
"Yes, trivia," Karen said, stroking his back gently. "You can
show us all how much you know."
Plankton looked up at Patrick.
"I'm sorry," Patrick said, voice sincere
for once. "I didn't mean to make you cry."
Plankton sniffled, his antennae twitching slightly. "Patrick
mean," he murmured, his voice monotone yet filled with hurt.
"I know, buddy," Sponge Bob said, placing a comforting hand
on his shoulder. "But he didn't know. Sometimes, Patrick doesn't
think before he speaks."
Patrick nodded, his eyes downcast. "I guess I'm not the best
at understanding things," he mumbled.
Sponge Bob leaned closer to Plankton. "Why don't we start our
game now?" he suggested, his voice gentle. "We can play a
game about random trivia. Does that sound okay?"
Plankton nodded slowly, antennae still drooping. "Okay," he murmurs.
They around the table, the jellyfish book open to a random page.
Plankton's gaze remained fixed on it, his mind racing with facts
and figures. Karen took a deep breath, her tentacles still tense
from the confrontation with Patrick. "Alright, let's start with
something easy," she suggested. "What's the scientific name
for jellyfish?"
Plankton's antennae shot up, his eye lighting up with excitement.
"Jellyfish scientific name," he recited, "Cnidaria."
"Cnidaria?" Sponge Bob repeated, his eyebrows shooting up. "That's
right, Plankton!"
Patrick looked at the book, then at Plankton, his eyes wide. "How do you
know all this stuff?"
Plankton's antennae wiggled slightly. "Plankton read book," he said, his
voice monotone but with a hint of pride.
"Patrick, I'll ask you a question," Sponge Bob said, his smile genuine.
Patrick nodded, eager to make amends. "Shoot."
Sponge Bob's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Okay, Patrick," he said, "What's
the square root of 120?"
Patrick's eyes widened, his brain scrambling. He took a deep breath and
announced, "It's 12?"
"No, Patrick," Plankton said, his voice a monotone but with a hint of
amusement. "It's 10.190565... but Plankton rounds to 10."
Patrick's face fell as he realized he'd been outsmarted. "Oh," he murmured.
"Guess I should've studied more at boating school."
"It's okay, Patrick," Karen said.
Sponge Bob's eyes twinkled with encouragement. "Let's keep
playing, Plankton," he said. "You're doing great."
Plankton nodded, his antennae slightly less droopy.
"Your turn, Plankton," Sponge Bob said. "What's something interesting
about yourself?"
Plankton paused, his antennae twitching as he searched for words.
"Interesting?" he echoed.
Sponge Bob nodded encouragingly. "Yes, something that makes you
special or unique. Tell us all about Plankton."
Plankton's antennae quivered as he thought. "Plankton... good at
science," he said finally, his monotone voice revealing his pride.
"Especially jellyfish."
"That's fantastic, Plankton!" Karen exclaimed.
Patrick nodded in agreement. "Yeah, buddy," he said, his voice still
subdued. "You're a real jellyfish genius."
Plankton's antennae twitched with a hint of satisfaction. "Jellyfish
have 24 eyes," he said, his voice monotone yet filled with a newfound
confidence. "But no brain."
"What?" Patrick's eyes widened. "How can they see without a brain?"
Plankton's antennae quivered with excitement as he began to elaborate.
"Jellyfish have simple nervous system," he said, his voice still flat but
gaining momentum. "Eyes detect light, not images. Help them avoid
predators and find food."
Sponge Bob's eyes grew wide with amazement. "Wow
Plankton," he said. "That's so cool!"
"Plankton born cycloptic one eye."
Patrick's jaw dropped as he stared at Plankton. "That's... really cool," he
murmured, his mind racing to keep up.
Sponge Bob nodded eagerly. "Yeah, Plankton," he said, his voice
filled with excitement. "Tell us more!"
Plankton's antennae perked up at the genuine interest from his
friends. "Plankton own Chum Bucket," he said, his voice monotone
but proud. "Serve chum, best food in Bikini Bottom."
Patrick's eyes lit up. "You're like a chef, Plankton! That's so cool!"
But Plankton's gaze remained on the jellyfish book, his thoughts
drifting. "Mr. Krabs," he murmured, his voice monotone yet filled
with a hint of anger. "Has Krabby Patties.."
Karen and Sponge Bob exchanged a glance, knowing the mention of Mr. Krabs.
"Plankton," Karen began cautiously, "we don't have to talk about Krabby Patties
if you don't want to."
But Plankton's antennae shot up, his voice taking on a new, almost manic energy.
"No, no," he murmured, his monotone cracking. "Mr. Krabs. Krabby Patties.
Plankton's purpose."
Sponge Bob's smile faltered, the mention of Krabby Patties bringing back
memories of their long-standing rivalry. "Plankton," he said gently, "you don't
have to steal Krabby Patties anymore. You have jellyfish now."
But Plankton's antennae quivered with a strange intensity. "Krabs," he murmured,
his monotone voice filled with a newfound urgency. "Gave Plankton brain damage.
Accident," Plankton murmured, his voice low. "Mr. Krabs... Krabby Patty...
Plankton's brain... changed."
Sponge Bob's smile faded, his heart sinking as he realized
the gravity of the situation. "Plankton," he said, his voice filled sadness.
But Plankton didn't seem to hear him, lost in his own thoughts. "Plankton
not same," he murmured. "But jellyfish... jellyfish make Plankton happy."
Karen's eyes filled with understanding. "It's ok, Plankton," she said, her voice
soothing. "You can still have a purpose. Maybe not with Krabby Patties, but
with jellyfish."
Plankton's antennae quivered as he repeated her words back to her. "Purpose
with jellyfish," he murmured.
"Yes, Plankton," Karen said, her tentacles stroking his back gently. "Your purpose
can be whatever makes you happy."
"Happy," Plankton echoed, his antennae twitching as he repeated her word.
"Yes, happy," Karen said, her voice soothing. "We're here to support you, Plankton."
"Support Plankton," he echoed, his antennae drooping slightly. "But
Krabs... Plankton's enemy."
Karen's eyes searched Plankton's, her own filled with a gentle warmth.
"Mr. Krabs doesn't have to be your enemy anymore," she said, her tone
soothing. "You can find joy in other things."
"Other things," Plankton echoed, his antennae still.
"Yes," Karen said, her tentacles waving gently. "Like jellyfish. You can focus
on learning about them and sharing your knowledge with others."
"Share knowledge," Plankton repeated, his antennae quivering
with curiosity.
"Exactly," Karen said, her tentacles gesturing encouragingly. "You can
start a jellyfish club, remember?"
Plankton's antennae twitched as he processed her words. "Jellyfish
club," he murmured.
"Yeah, buddy," Sponge Bob said, his voice filled with excitement. "We can all join
and learn together!"
Plankton's antennae perked up slightly, and a glimmer of hope entered his eye.
"Club," he murmured, his voice monotone but with a hint of excitement.