Right answer, kid
Sometimes, the whole “lack of social graces” is not necessarily a bad thing. Today, as part of the SOBUMD birthday celebration, we dragged the whole family shopping. ‘Cause you know, that’s a good time.
While banging through the Giant in Springfield – we don’t usually shop there, but we were in the area for three other stores and hey, it was there – SOBUMD and the younger two were working off the main list while the Human Tape Recorder and I were on search and destroy missions. SOBUMD reported the following encounter, after we were safely gone from the store.
She’d noticed an “older gent” (which is a very relative term for me these days, but he was probably in his early 60s), about 5’8″ with grey hair and a massive pot-belly that puts mine to shame, going through the same aisle they were in, going the other way – and thought nothing of it. Two aisles later, the same guy walked past them, and he struck up a conversation with Number One Son.
Random Dude: “Hi there again! We just saw each other in the ice cream aisle!”
Number One Son: “Hi.”
Random Dude: “What did you say your name was again?”
Number One Son: “I didn’t.”
And that was it. No compunction about being polite, making small talk, making friends – and Number One Son is one of the most well-mannered 10-yr-olds you’d want to meet, and certainly the most well-behaved of our brood. (I’ll caveat that with, “when he’s had his meds.” God help you if he hasn’t.) It so totally floored Random Dude – who might have just been a nice old guy saying hello – that he wandered off flustered, which was totally OK with SOBUMD. I realized later that it wasn’t that he seemed creepy or gave off bad vibes or anything – Number One Son just started with the assumption that this guy had his facts wrong, and couldn’t even remember that they hadn’t exchanged names a few minutes ago. Anyone who can’t even keep up with a few minutes ago just isn’t worth his time to talk to.
Fine by me.
Actually, I think it was really good instincts he had there. That was a very manipulative ploy the older man was using; he tried to make your son think they’d exchanged more information than they had. It’s possible (entirely) that his motives were pure, but that right there is enough to make me wary. Your son did good.
Meyers-Briggs cultist here! Your kid is an NT, he goes by logic first. The guy was probably an NF (human bonding and intuition) or an SJ (social convention and tradition). 75% of the population are sensory types. The NFs and NTs have a hard time being understood.
@HonorH – sure, it’s entirely possible that his motives were pure, but SOBUMD and I didn’t think so either. She was a little surprised by the fact that the guy did this *right* in front of her – not like he was off wandering around. I agree with you as well; I think his autism and the NT (in Rin’s Meyers-Briggs terms) tendancies helps the instinctual “this ain’t right” move to the fore.
I’m a Myers-Briggs cultist too, and I’m also an NT. In addition to Number One Son being special in all of his other ways, he probably is an NT as well. Interesting observation.. :-)
I would like for Number One Son to teach that to my two. Pure motives or not. Excellent job Number One Son. (Oh and thanks for the laugh, as well.)
@Lyn – The kids are usually quite friendly, especially the RQoP, who repeated NOS’s comment that he hadn’t told Creepy Guy his name. I figure if she wasn’t being her usual TMI self, there was a reason. It’s not a situation we’ve ever been in before and the kids returned to their normal selves with the cashier later. Something about CG’s interaction obviously didn’t sit right with them. I didn’t even have a chance to get involved. NOS took care of himself. I’m proud. <3
I’m proud too! NOS did exactly the right thing-Even if the guy was just being friendly, no need to give out information. I would have been wary too.