Published on 12, July, 2020
How comfortable are you in breaking the unwritten rules of society?
Most of us auties are keen to fit in and hide in plain sight so doing things that are considered wrong is hard for us.
We went out yesterday to a Pizza Hut (daughter's choice as she's just finished uni for the year).
We sat down and started going through the menus and I could not believe the prices being charged for a basic pizza.
£15 for a 9" pizza (I consider that a kid's pizza) and over £20 for an normal pizza. Including drinks, dessert & tip we would be up near £100 for some pizza!!!!
I was stuck for a few seconds - I've never walked out of a restaurant before ordering and I'd be disappointing my daughter - but - Holy Crap! I cannot blow that much cash for a sugary, over-salted, mass-produced garbage. pizza.
I was stuck in glitch-mode for a minute or so until - NO - I can't do it - I can't waste that much money - so we got up with everyone looking at us - the waitress was confused - and we just said thanks but no thanks and we left.
We went along to a very nice Italian restuarant (if I'm paying for expensive pizza, I want a decent pizza) but as we got there 10 minutes before their daytime menu ended, we got the discounted rate - £6.95 for amazing 15" pizzas. Couldn't manage it all - it was great.
Maybe we should stand up for ourselves more often.
Sooooo - What have you done recently to break your programming?
I'd certainly be with you on that. I'd never pay that amount for a pizza. It's like going to places where they have a captive audience, and they charge exorbitant rates. Last week, I went on a trip with some clients at work - and the on-site restaurant at the venue wanted nearly £7 for a jacket potato and salad. Filling for the potato was 85p extra. When it came, the salad was a chopped lettuce leaf and two slices of cucumber! So basically, it was nearly £8 for a jacket potato with a dollop of cheese on top. At least I wasn't paying for it, but all the same...
At work on Thursday, I reported a faulty electrical cable on one of the beds we use for clients. In three places, the sheathing was worn through to the wires, and in one of those places a copper wire was actually exposed. A couple of maintenance men came and looked at it - and said it was perfectly safe! One of them even put his tongue on one of the worn places (a wasted stunt as the bed was unplugged). So... I'm going to report it. I've started to be a lot more assertive now, and speak up for myself. I've had enough of being treated like a rube or a soft touch.
I've broken some written rules, too. I trespassed many times when I used to go out sabbing fox hunts years ago. Even got charged once. But it was worth it.
One thing my condition has helped to make me is a rebel and nonconformist.