Sam had explained that they were going to see Sam’s new friend.
Riddle had met her before. Remember? Outside at night in the rain?
Riddle remembered. Because he remembered everything. But he kept that, like almost everything, to himself.
They would eat dinner with the new friend and then take the bus home.
Riddle’s favourite part was that the brakes on the bus made a loud squeak followed by a wheeze when it came to a stop. Every time this happened, Riddle smiled. Squeak. Wheeze. Smile. He
saw it as some kind of joke.
Sam watched. In his own unpredictable way, his little brother was very predictable.
The dog saved the day.
Riddle related to animals much easier than to people, and Felix, the Bell’s nine-year-old lumpy lab mix, got him through the meal.
Emily came out to greet them in the front yard, and she brought Felix with her. Riddle immediately crouched down low, making himself small to meet the dog. He seemed oblivious to Emily.
Riddle’s head moved up and down in the same rhythm as the dog. Emily at first thought it was some strange coincidence until she realised that Riddle was imitating Felix, anticipating his
moves.
Sam let him do that for what felt to Emily like a very long time before he said, in a low, soft tone, ‘Riddle, this is Emily. You met before, and I’ve told you about her. We’re
going to have dinner here in this house with Emily. I want you to say hello.’
Riddle, still moving like the lab mix, glanced up, briefly caught her eye, and then looked away.
Done.
Once inside the house, Riddle stayed close to Sam, appearing neither happy nor unhappy as he focused on the dog.
Tim and Debbie Bell introduced themselves and welcomed him to their home. Jared waited across the room at a distance, sizing up the situation. Riddle scared him.
After an awkward amount of time, filled in by Emily and Sam, they all moved outside to the picnic table. Debbie went back into the kitchen with Tim to bring out the food.
Inside the house, Debbie turned to her husband, speaking in a whisper even though everyone else was in the yard. ‘He’s got developmental issues. Autism? Maybe
Asperger’s.’
Tim looked out the window. He could see them at the table. Sam, Emily, and Jared were talking. Riddle, sitting right next to Sam, was feeding Felix potato chips under the table.
Tim shrugged. ‘We just met him. It might be a little early to label the kid.’
Debbie was all about quick diagnosis. And quick response. She continued, ‘And he’s got some kind of respiratory ailment. Asthma. Maybe asthma and allergies. I wonder what meds he
takes. I hope he has a decent inhaler.’
Debbie lifted the bubbling lasagna out of the oven and placed the hot dish on a tray. She was still whispering. ‘You saw that he’s carrying that old phone book. It’s some kind
of security for him.’
Tim hadn’t seen. But then again, he didn’t notice half the things she did, even after she pointed them out. He now looked out the window and still was not able to locate a phone
book. Did she mean something that was in his pocket or something larger?
Moments later, they were back out in the yard, dishing out the lasagna, salad and garlic bread.
Sam and Riddle were not familiar with things that didn’t come from a fast-food place or that wasn’t cooked on a hot plate. They had eaten mostly what you find at the counter of a gas
station for years.
But since lasagna seemed like a version of the fattest spaghetti with meat sauce ever made, they ate it.
Or in Riddle’s case, Riddle and Felix ate it.
No one said anything about the fact that half of what was on Riddle’s plate ended up in Felix’s stomach. Jared made two attempts to point out the situation, and both times his
parents shot him down.
Emily had told her mom and dad not to ask Riddle any questions. But of course they did. And Sam answered them.
But Riddle didn’t seem to mind being interrogated. He ate food, he fed the dog, and he drank two tall
Riddle had met her before. Remember? Outside at night in the rain?
Riddle remembered. Because he remembered everything. But he kept that, like almost everything, to himself.
They would eat dinner with the new friend and then take the bus home.
Riddle’s favourite part was that the brakes on the bus made a loud squeak followed by a wheeze when it came to a stop. Every time this happened, Riddle smiled. Squeak. Wheeze. Smile. He
saw it as some kind of joke.
Sam watched. In his own unpredictable way, his little brother was very predictable.
The dog saved the day.
Riddle related to animals much easier than to people, and Felix, the Bell’s nine-year-old lumpy lab mix, got him through the meal.
Emily came out to greet them in the front yard, and she brought Felix with her. Riddle immediately crouched down low, making himself small to meet the dog. He seemed oblivious to Emily.
Riddle’s head moved up and down in the same rhythm as the dog. Emily at first thought it was some strange coincidence until she realised that Riddle was imitating Felix, anticipating his
moves.
Sam let him do that for what felt to Emily like a very long time before he said, in a low, soft tone, ‘Riddle, this is Emily. You met before, and I’ve told you about her. We’re
going to have dinner here in this house with Emily. I want you to say hello.’
Riddle, still moving like the lab mix, glanced up, briefly caught her eye, and then looked away.
Done.
Once inside the house, Riddle stayed close to Sam, appearing neither happy nor unhappy as he focused on the dog.
Tim and Debbie Bell introduced themselves and welcomed him to their home. Jared waited across the room at a distance, sizing up the situation. Riddle scared him.
After an awkward amount of time, filled in by Emily and Sam, they all moved outside to the picnic table. Debbie went back into the kitchen with Tim to bring out the food.
Inside the house, Debbie turned to her husband, speaking in a whisper even though everyone else was in the yard. ‘He’s got developmental issues. Autism? Maybe
Asperger’s.’
Tim looked out the window. He could see them at the table. Sam, Emily, and Jared were talking. Riddle, sitting right next to Sam, was feeding Felix potato chips under the table.
Tim shrugged. ‘We just met him. It might be a little early to label the kid.’
Debbie was all about quick diagnosis. And quick response. She continued, ‘And he’s got some kind of respiratory ailment. Asthma. Maybe asthma and allergies. I wonder what meds he
takes. I hope he has a decent inhaler.’
Debbie lifted the bubbling lasagna out of the oven and placed the hot dish on a tray. She was still whispering. ‘You saw that he’s carrying that old phone book. It’s some kind
of security for him.’
Tim hadn’t seen. But then again, he didn’t notice half the things she did, even after she pointed them out. He now looked out the window and still was not able to locate a phone
book. Did she mean something that was in his pocket or something larger?
Moments later, they were back out in the yard, dishing out the lasagna, salad and garlic bread.
Sam and Riddle were not familiar with things that didn’t come from a fast-food place or that wasn’t cooked on a hot plate. They had eaten mostly what you find at the counter of a gas
station for years.
But since lasagna seemed like a version of the fattest spaghetti with meat sauce ever made, they ate it.
Or in Riddle’s case, Riddle and Felix ate it.
No one said anything about the fact that half of what was on Riddle’s plate ended up in Felix’s stomach. Jared made two attempts to point out the situation, and both times his
parents shot him down.
Emily had told her mom and dad not to ask Riddle any questions. But of course they did. And Sam answered them.
But Riddle didn’t seem to mind being interrogated. He ate food, he fed the dog, and he drank two tall
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