On a list of female Asperger Syndrome (AS) traits, I highlighted in yellow those that pertained to me. It would have been faster if I had just marked those that didn’t. One of the traits was “Is youthful for her age in looks, dress, behavior, and tastes.” Maybe that explains why I at 59 1/2, I am spending a good bit of my leisure at the park or on a bike trail taking one of my brand new electric scooters for a spin.
When I was growing up, I sometimes acted as if I had not gotten the memo that childhood comes before adulthood. I had strong opinions on grown-up issues pertaining to religion, politics, and social issues. This was when kids my age were riding bicycles, skates, and playing with hula hoops. I preferred hanging out with the grown-ups listening to their adult conversations. That is until the adults shooed me out of the room. Now I prefer hanging out with the kids at family gatherings.
Another trait is obsessions and I have a long list of those. Some have come and gone and some have not. When I like something, I really, really like it. There is no middle ground. The same can be said of when I don’t like something such as green peas or merry-go-rounds.
Well, my latest craze began innocent enough. I was subbing for a P.E. aide and was helping the coach set up for the first class of the day. He put out some scooters which are a highly popular piece of equipment with the students. They looked like fun to me just as skateboards and roller skates. These were things I tried and fell for back in my younger days. I mean “fell” as in landing on the floor in a painful sort of way. My lack of gross motor skills is a common ASD trait I can lay claim too.
On a dare, I got on one since it was just me and the coach and I knew he wouldn’t laugh at me. How come? His Mom is one of my dearest friends. He knows I’d tell on him. It only took a minute, if that, that I fell in love with the scooter. I wanted one! I immediately got on my cellphone and searched on Amazon. After so many days of research, I decided that this was strictly a “kid” thing and is more tailored for the gym floor than outside at a park or on the sidewalk. And, most importantly, it isn’t as easy as it used to be to get up from the floor.
But in my research, I discovered electric scooters. Oh, my goodness!!! After about a month’s worth of research, I bought not one, but two. One is a folding electric scooter and the other is a Segway brand scooter, also called transporter.
It was an awkward beginning with both of them. After all, I still lack in the gross motor skills department. My big toe got the worst end of my first date with Pinkie (nicknamed cause its pink). It took a couple of weeks before my big toe looked like it did before the fall. Seggie did damage on my right hip and elbow. I took the falls like a champ though. NO FEAR! I hopped right back on. Piggie and Seggie weren’t gonna knock me down and get to sit in a corner taking it easy.
The scooters were my additions to my ever-growing obsessive collection of electronic gadgets. That’s why I had no interest in a scooter board that is moved by manual labor. This over the board attraction to scooters reminds me of an obsession I had years ago that has since gone. I once possessed a herd of “vacuum cleaners”. They are electronic after all. My apartment back then resembled a vac used store outlet. At least, scooter riding is more fun than vacuuming ever was.
I also used to have a robot collection back in my mid-40’s. I once took one I called “Billy” to work and the “adults” in the room were fascinated; however, I might have misunderstood their expressions and they might have been thinking, “what is a middle-aged woman doing living with toy robots?” I have since given up custody of them to my nephews.
Below are pictures of my two new toys. In a town of one forty-three thousand something, I haven’t seen anyone on one of these toys or something similar. When I take either to the park or trail, I suspect all pairs of eyes within viewing distance are pinned on me. Most especially when I’m cruising on Seggie. I do not make eye contact with those I pass by. That comes fairly natural to me anyway. I don’t care to see the expression that suggests “what is a gray-haired lady think she’s doing on that thing?” However, I did appreciate overhearing a small boy who was wise beyond his years say, “That’s a nice scooter you have, Maam.”
My Life on the Spectrum 