Ben's story

Chapter 1

"*&^%$#@, Ben. #$%^*&^%$&*." is what I hear coming from the living room. I don't want to go out there.  Nana, Papa, Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, Uncle Dave, Aunt Linda, Cori are all out there. There's just too much going on out there. I'd rather stay in my parent's room where it's quieter. I can watch my movie. I love the Lion King. All the colors and music it intrigues me.

 My parent's bedroom door open. It's my sister. "Ben. Present time." She holds a gift in her hand wrapped in Lion King wrapping paper. "This is from sissy" I stare at the present. 'Presents? What's inside? How do I find out? Why am I getting a present? I don't understand.' I grab my balloons and roll them between my hands. 'Better' I think.  "Here Ben grab right here and pull the paper" My sister is tearing the tape and the paper. The paper makes a crinkly sound. I like that sound. I grab at the hole where she has started to rip the paper. I like the way the paper feels. The sound it makes as a crunch it between my finger, the different textures I feel as I crumble it more then flatten it out, the sound it makes as I flap it in the air. "Eyes on me Ben. Look I got you squishes!" My sister taps my shoulder to show me what was underneath the paper, a great big neon green squish ball. It has big goofy eyes and a smiley face drawn on it with little rubber pieces sticking out every which way. I drop the paper on the floor and try to take it from her hand. "Nice hands and words Ben." I show her the sign for ball and please. She gives me the ball and I immediately begin to shake and roll the ball between my fingers. I shake it harder and it lights up. "Merry Christmas Ben." My sister says as she kisses my eyebrows and scratches my head. I grab her hand and stick it back on my head.  She scratches my head for a little while longer until I grab her hand and take her to the door. I nudge her out the door then shut the door. Open the door. Shut the door. I like the sound the door makes when I shut it.

"Did he open his gift?" Mom asks.

"Yeah at first he was more interested in the paper until I got his attention and showed him the squishy." Sister replies.

"We'll have to see if he'll open more later."

"I know let's not overwhelm him though."

"I know. He's been pretty well behaved tonight considering all the extra people here. It is so out of his routine but he seems to be fine. Did he seem agitated when you went in there?"

"No he was fine mom. Stop worrying."

"I just know how he gets when there are a lot of people around and with no school for another week."

"Mom. Breathe. You worry too much. Ben's being Ben. Go socialize"

The bedroom door opens again. This time it's not my sister. It's my aunt and uncle. They have their coats on and their arms of full of gift bags and food trays. "Merry Christmas Benny!" My aunt says to me as she comes over to the bed where I'm sitting. She must have used some type of fruity shampoo or something cause that's all I smell. It smell good. I grab her neck and pull her head to my nose so I can smell it again, and again, and again. Ooops I must have pulled her hair. "Ouuuuuch!" My aunt screams. The sound of her scream hurts my ears. I cover my ears and start rocking back and forth. I don't like that sound, I don't like that sound. "What happened?" my mom says coming into the room. "Oh Ben was just smelling my hair and he got a hold of it a little is all. It startled me more than it hurt." My aunt says with a laugh. She rubs my head and heads out of the door with my uncle.  My mom comes over to my and gently runs her nails up and down my back, scratching lightly. I stop rocking. "Remember nice hands Ben. Nice hands." she says still stroking my back. She kisses my eyebrows and leaves the room, shutting the door behind her. I get up off of her bed and go to the door and shut it again two more times. I go back to the bed and continue to watch the Lion king.

"Ben. Bath time." I hear my sister say. I get off of the bed and head into the bathroom where my sister is drawing water in the tub. "Get undressed silly goose." I don't get why she says silly goose. I am not a goose. I am a boy. I take my shirt off and throw it in the hamper. Next my pants. I can't seem to get my sock off. Sister looks at me and says "Help?" as she holds her left hand out flat and then places her right hand on top of it with a fist having her thumb sticking up. I stick my foot out to her hand. "Sign it" she says. I put my foot back down. I take my right hand and make a fist and make the motion as if I am knocking on a door. "Foot" sister says as she crouches down to help me take my sock off. I get in the tub and sit down. My sister grabs the shampoo and hands me a cup.  I pour the water on my head to get my hair wet. My sister then pours the shampoo on her hands and lathers it in my hair. "Rinse." she says turning her back to me to grab my tooth brush. I take the cup and dump water on my head. She watches me. Then she takes both her hands and makes them in the shape of an "O" and brings them together saying "More" I dump another cupful of water on my head, again, and again until my sister extended her left hand, palm upward. Then she sharply brought her open right hand down to her left palm at a right angle saying "Stop". She taked the cup from me and put in on the top of the shelf and then assists me with hand over hand with brushing my teeth. I don't like the way the tooth brush feels on my teeth. I close my mouth real tight so she can't get inside my mouth. "Ben. Teeth time." she says calmly. I still don't open. Sister repeats herself. I finally give in and open just for a few quick brushes then I push her hand away. She puts the tooth brush back in the mirror cupboard and exits the bathroom. 

After she leaves I turn the hot water faucet on full blast. I love the way the warm water feels on my skin. I start to move closer to the faucet and push myself back to the other end. I do this back and forth motion several times until I create a waves. I stop in the middle of the tub and feel the water move back and forth over top of me. I turn the water off. I start to make more waves. I hear my father yell "Knock it off Benjamin!" I stop for a second. My sensory desires outweighs me listening so I turn the water back on and start my waves again. This time my father comes in. "That's enough. Look at the floor. It's soaking wet. Jesus Christ. You're going to ruin the floor again" But all I hear is "%#$*&^%&&#%" and he takes out the plug that was holding the water in the tub and places it on the third shelf. Once he exits the bathroom I wait a few moments before I get out of the tub and go over the shelving unit. I stand on my tip toes and grab the plug and bring it back to the tub with me. I start running the hot water again and I continue to make my waves and splash around. "Ben turn the water off" I hear my mother say calmly. "Don't waste your breath. I already took the plug." Dad says back to her. My mother comes in the bathroom with a fresh towel for me and my nightly medicine in a bowl with vanilla pudding. She drops the towel and comes over to the bath tub removing the plug. This time she sticks it in her back pocket of her jeans. "Ben you're going to burn your bottom. It's time to get out of the tub." She grabs my arm and tries to get me out of the tub. I am much stronger than I her. I push her arm away and she goes back a few steps. She attempts again to get me out of the tub. I don't want to get out yet. I'm having fun. Doesn't she understand that? I pinch her arm this time. Her face is starting to get red. I don't know what emotion that is. But it doesn't look good. She exits the bathroom and slams the door. I turn the water back on.

 A few moments later my sister comes in. She looks at me and takes her hands with palms facing in, then turn the hands so that they are facing out a couple of times saying "All done." As she stands there with towel in hand. I stare at her. I reach for the faucet and she says "No." I look up at my sister again. She signs "All done" again. I finally decide to get out and my sister helps my dry off. Then my mom helps me get dressed and gives me my medicine which tastes bitter even with it mixed with vanilla pudding so my sister hands me some fruit gummies. I then go into my room where my mom and sister tuck me into bed. They both kiss me on my eyebrows. They head over to my door, turn the lights off, and shut the door behind them.