A Woman's Work – Brooke Basically Blogging

Mornings in Copher’s Community are always eventful.  Lately no tears.  Harrison is not a morning person. So he is usually walking around like the Walking Dead.  Sydney is all animation. She’s happy and singing and ready to start her day.  Yesterday she was going to see Beauty and The Beast. She was so excited to go to school.

While we were waiting on the bus Sydney sang songs and began to talk about Rosa Parks. She read a book about Rosa Parks and wrote a paragraph about her at school.  I think I made the mistake of telling her that she looked like Rosa Parks when she pulls her hair back in braids. Well that did it. 

When the bus pulled up she rushed off of the porch.  She started chanting “I am Rosa Parks, I am Rosa Parks.”  Harrison just looked at me and ran to the bus. As Rosa was marching for freedom. I smiled and waved at the bus driver and the aide. Sydney was marching and chanting up and down the driveway. Finally, I had to yell, “Rosa, get on the bus.”

She made it on the bus.  But I noticed that the bus wasn’t moving.  I saw Harrison sit down and put his hood on, probably ready to take a nap. Next, the lights came on inside the bus.  I saw Sydney walking up and down the aisle. She was pointing at each seat and who knows what she was saying.  She was headed toward the back of the bus so maybe she was telling everyone to get up. 

I quietly waved goodbye to the bus driver and the aide and went back inside of the house.  I watched the rest of The Rosa Parks Story from the window.  That night I asked Harrison what Sydney was saying on the bus.  She was asking for a new seat, not in the back of the bus.  And she asked the aid if she was going to Alabama.

I have so much respect for bus drivers.   Especially our bus drivers.  They are accommodating and patient when Sydney needs to have her voice heard.  I’m glad that the bus ride is not long.  She might have started singing “We Shall Overcome”.

This was autism at its finest moment.  Sydney’s comprehension is improving. She is able to make real world connections with what she has learned.  She needs to find a drama club quick.  Let’s hope today Cleopatra isn’t going on the bus.