Josh Groban, M & Ms, and the Paranormal

One of the things I find most compelling about Asperger's Syndrome is that people who have it often possess some truly miraculous talents. Take Daniel Tammet, for example. His ability to remember dates, calculate enormous sums in his head, relate prime numbers to dates or events, etc. is astounding. I wish I had just a fraction of that ability so I could use it to keep my check book balanced. I use a calculator and still manage to mess it up.

Ian is great at math and reads extremely well. If we helped him cultivate his ability to memorize and recall vast amounts of information, he could probably be the next Jeopardy Junior champion. Although, he might have difficulty standing still behind the podium for a great length of time. He would also press the answer button non-stop because it is a button and it must be pressed. That is what buttons are for. The producers of the show might frown on his mother standing next to him during Final Jeopardy to write his answer for him, even though he would be dictating it and I, of course, would write it exactly as he says it - EVEN IF HE FORGETS TO PHRASE IT IN THE FORM OF A QUESTION.

He is also musically gifted. Rather, music speaks to him in a way I have not seen in other young children. Since he was a baby, music has soothed him when he needed to calm down and pepped him up when his engine needed a little revving. He doesn't just listen to the notes; he INHALES them. The music wraps itself around his soul and gives him whatever he needs at the moment. If I could create it for you visually, it would be like strands of puffy clouds surrounding and encircling his body, entering him through his ears, his eyes, his nose - becoming part of him. He experiences the totality of the music.

The first song that I ever experienced the same sensation with him was "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" sung by Josh Groban. Ian asked me to play the song over and over and over...and for a long time he would ask to hear this song when he was troubled and needed to feel better about himself and the world around him. Josh's music still does something for him - for us both - four years later. He often tries to play "Josh music" on the piano, even though he doesn't read a note. Hopefully, I can teach him how to play so he can create beautiful music himself (anyone know a good piano tuner?).

Right now he is into the music from the soundtrack of the movie Cars. He especially likes "Get Your Kicks on Route 66", which is the song he awakens to in the morning. What can I say? The kid's got good taste.

Good taste buds are about as close to being uniquely gifted as I can claim. I have always been able to tell the color of an M&M candy by the way it feels in my mouth. Really. I'm not kidding. It's a fact, though it may seem on the verge of being paranormal.
I was very popular in high school when Spanish Club sold M&Ms as a fund raiser. I would get tackled in the hall by a group of kids who wanted to test me. Someone would blindfold me and make sure I couldn't see what color I was given. I had about a 99% accuracy rate. The 1% error rate occurred when the M&M was held in some one's hand too long and got warm. That's my claim to fame.

I think we all have some hidden talent. For Aspie's, these gifts of genius can be used to make the world a better, more beautiful place. Theirs will be the contributions that solve the world's health problems. And then there is the Aspie's mother who is destined to be the headliner in the freak show at the State Fair. You see? It all works out in the end.