Ordering at Starbucks, Asperger’s style

Yesterday, I took the boys shopping to Basingstoke. As I'm not currently able to walk far, I sat in Starbucks armed with my iPad to do some work, while they toured Festival Place, pockets filled with Christmas cash.

Now, I'm not good at Starbucks. I don't even like coffee that much and would rather not consume my daily calorie allowance in one latte topped with whipped cream. Then, what size do you want? I can't even remember what the sizes are called, never mind how big they are. By the time I get to the front of the queue, I'm as glazed as a doughnut, so I always go for tea, Earl Grey, errm, medium? Ish? I know, it's very "Mrs Brady, Old Lady" of me.

I hadn't been there too long before Youngest joined me with his purchases from Lush. He is a big Starbucks fan so I gave him some cash for a drink and he joined the inevitable, slow-moving queue.

I had a proud moment, marvelling at how Asperger's Youngest , 13, was now able to queue and ask for what he wanted by himself as well as meander round the shopping centre (that he knows well) without me.

I watched from my seat as he made his choice, paid and wandered over to end to await his order. Then Son1 appeared, exchanged a few words with his brother and came over to me, looking incredulous.

"He said the woman asked what his name was to put on the cup and he told her it was David!"

David is not Youngest 's name. Not even one of them. Not even close. Youngest approached with his drink and I asked him why he'd said that it was.

He shrugged. "I panicked!" he said. I understood immediately, for, dear reader, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

We headed back to the car but it soon became apparent that Youngest was not enjoying his choice of beverage, a Vanilla Spice Latte. He passed it to Son1 who asked him why he'd chosen it.

Youngest grinned. "I panicked..."

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Tania Tirraoro

Founder, Co-Director at Special Needs Jungle

Founder of Special Needs Jungle. (She/Her) Parent of two young adults with autism. New grandma. Tania, who is autistic, is a leading SEND advisor, working with the Special Education Consortium, Ofsted, and Whole School SEND. She is also an Advisory Board member of the Royal Holloway, University of London Centre of Gene and Cell Therapy and an Editorial Board member of Springer Nature Gene Therapy journal.
Tania is an experienced broadcast and print journalist & author. She also runs a PR, web & social media consultancy, SocialOro Media.
Tania is a rare disease & chronic pain patient advocate with Ehlers Danlos syndrome.

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