Published on 12, July, 2020
I wondered if the following situation is commonly experienced by other autistics?
I am out in public, walking along, minding my own business, and some random stranger says, "Cheer up, it might never happen", or words to that effect.
I find it very intrusive and usually cannot find anything witty to say, which would be an ideal response. I am hugely resentful of the concept that I owe it to complete strangers to compose my facial expression to suit their peculiar standards.
I mostly seem to avoid this by having a visible disability, maybe they think it has already happened for me. Though that then changes the question to "what's wrong with you?" and I sigh in exhaustion, as I really don't want to scan down my body and tell you about the various surgeries I've had... I really need to get on with my day.