Write a Column

“Dad!”

“Yes, James?”

“My program! It’s not on!”

I checked the channel and the clock. Instead of his favorite nature program, old musicians performing the music they made popular almost 50 years ago filled the screen.

“I’m sorry, James. You’re program won’t be on for a couple weeks.”

“What? Why? How come?”

“The station wants to run this program.”

“No! They can’t do it! Dad, you should write a column.”

Autistic children have difficulty dealing with change. For many of them, routine isn’t confining; it’s a structure that comforts and protects.  When things are altered, their entire world shifts, and they display their uncertainty and anger in behavioral issues.

James came to me for a solution, secure in his faith. Dad can fix almost everything.

His chin juts and his arms are crossed. “You should write a column.”

I explain that my stories are for parents. I tell him that, sometimes, they’re about things I remember when I was a kid. Or they might be about his older brother and sisters. On occasion, I even write about James and Ian.

“It’ll take too long.” I look him in the eye. “Besides, my columns won’t make TV stations change their minds and put your show back on.”

His eyes narrow and his mouth tightens to a thin line.

I fall back on a parental standby. “We’ll see.”

Placated, but not satisfied, he retreats to his room and forgets the issue.

A few days later, we dodge the drips from the melting snow as we enter the front door.

“Dad, what’s happening?”

“The snow’s melting. Pretty soon, it’ll all be gone.”

“But, I love snow.”

“Me too, but it has to melt.”

“No! It can’t melt.” He turned away from the melting snow to face me. “Dad, you should write a column!”

William R. Bartlett lives in Belton with his family.