http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VILWkqlQLWk
Blue is the color for April’s Autism Awareness Month. Proud moms are coloring their hair blue. Kids’ pictures on Facebook are tinted blue. People are donning blue ribbons and displaying blue symbols. I thought this short story, entitled Blue, was fitting for the cause.
I wrote this piece several years ago, as part of a manuscript. I have since broken the manuscript into several short stories. Some of which I share on this blog.
Learning to write took a lot of hard work and practice. In the beginning, I wrote every single day (but one day in April) for a year. I was still a terrible writer then, in my opinion, entirely obsessed with my works, and reading my prose to anyone who would listen.
After the first year of writing, I spent another year editing. Then another year rewriting. Then another rewriting, yet again. I calculate that I spent fifteen hours on each page of the two hundred fifty pages. My biggest hinderance to writing was my dyslexia and difficulty seeing errors. Also, I had a tendency to mix up words and punctuation, and a habit of rambling. (Smiling.)
I hope you enjoy this story.
Blue
Everything inside was blue—the seats, the ceiling, the floor, even the steering wheel. I tugged on a string from the backseat cover, wrapping layer upon layer of blue taught around my finger. This mid-afternoon it was my tiny index finger which turned a slight shade of indigo.
“Nothing to get hung about,” Mother sang out smiling happily, as if the coming rain had already washed away her worries. She didn’t have a singing voice, never had, but the effort and soul were there, the wanting to sound good, and the need. Inside the rearview mirror, her eyes the color of amaretto, glimmered, reflecting the narrowing sunlight. From the backseat I hummed along to Strawberry Fields Forever and jingled my clear-red plastic piggybank in the air, lifting him high and turning his gaze outside.
High atop the rolling grassy hills the enormous oaks stood like rows of fresh cut broccoli, rich and green—the bold color before the broccoli is boiled to a dull olive. In the shadows of the day tall eucalyptus trees were sprinkled between the weathered fruit stands; their silvery leaves rustling, fluttering up and back, yielding to the autumn wind. I winked one eye, then the next and then winked several times again to form patterns of gray, brown and green. A gust of moist wind pushed in through the partially-opened side window, tossing Mother’s chestnut hair and bringing a sharp scent of diesel smoke and wet asphalt… (full story available in the book Everyday Aspergers)
© Everyday Aspergers, 2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. https://aspergersgirls.wordpress.com
Everyday Asperger's 
SAm!
Oh my gosh! (In a good way).
Words put together in a coherent order do not a story make BUT words glued together with such emotion and a raw sense of the people within them do!
It is very cinematic, has such movement and oh I say again, you really have a deep sense of the humanity in mother and daughter. Their essence, the existence in a real world!
I literally shivered at the ending it was that good.
Can we have the next installment on this? Seriously, I want to read on.
Funnily I was listening to Izzy’s newest song at it ended at exact same time but it was definitely your words which did it.
Are you published anywhere?
KellyJellyLegs
🙂 Your comment means a lot to me. Thank you. I have not been published. I am considering compiling the best of everyday aspergers, but try not to plan anymore, as my higher power always surprises me when I try to take the wheel. For now, I am thankful for the warm-hearted people I am able to meet (like you) through this blog, and thankful to be heard and understood. Hugs ~ Sam 🙂
OMG you are brilliant..i read the story but got to tell you fell in love with the girl in the picture..what a cute lovely girl you were so wanted to hug that little girl
I have to give you this cos i think you are one of the most wonderful person i have met i my life
love your beautiful spirit and fun and loving heart
I’m putting that award on my blog! Thank you. I will look at it whenever in doubt (which will be a lot of times). I feel the same way about you! I hope we can meet someday. The first one who has the means has to fly the other person to their home town. Hugs to a butterfly of a lady ~ (no spiders, snakes or roaches, though) Sam 🙂 🙂 🙂
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE HEART STORY ………
WOW ….
I AM SPEECHLESS …………
I ONLY HAVE SOME “BLUE ” SONGS FOR YOU …..
BLESSINGS AND LOVE FOR ALL THAT COURAGE AND CANDOUR AND SHEER LOVE YOU ARE ……..
I WEAR BLUE EVERYDAY – SO THINKING OF YOU ………………
XOXO CAT
Thanks for the songs of blue. I listened to them both this morning. I like Regina Spektor a lot. She has such a true and pure talent. I like her song about Laughing at God, too. Your words were incredibly sweet. Thanks for the support and sweet act of leaving songs. Much love to you ~ Sam 🙂
I LIKE HER TOO ——- 🙂
SHE IS VERY CHILDLIKE !
TORI – DEFINITELY MORE GROWN UP KIND OF MIND ……
BUT YET VERY POWERFUL.
U ARE SO WELCOME XOXOXO
BIG TIME SUPPORTING YOU XO CAT
WISHING YOU THE VERY BEST DAY XO CAT
Oh my…that was just lovely!!!!!!!!!!! I like the story very much, Sam…and what a really cute picture of you…no…cute pictureS!!!! L O L 🙂 I can’t help but imagine picking up that little girl and hugging her…awwww…such a poignant memory of your childhood…thanks for sharing! 🙂 The mention of Raggedy Anne reminds me of one of my favorite books as a little girl…I remember this book my Mom bought for me about Raggedy Anne and Raggedy Andy…lol…I soooo loved that book!
Beautiful, beautiful story, Sam! 🙂 ((((HUGS))))
Your comments always make me smile. One day I’m going to catch you in a bad mood—then what? Probably not as many sweet words and smily faces. But that’s okay. You’ve more than made up for it. 🙂 Thank you again for taking the time to comment and for connecting. You are welcome. ~ Sam
Well done. It was nice to get lost in someone else’s world for just a bit.
Worth all the rewriting, in my opinion.
Yes, getting lost in words is a nice retreat. Glad I was able to provide words for you. Thank you for your kind comment. Sam 🙂
Sam, I just realized i was not following your blog, thought I was but then you never seemed to post 😉 anyway, lovely story!
Well, aren’t you sweet. THank you. I bet you were surprised to see that I had been posting—quite a bit. Thanks for the sweet comment. ~ Sam 😉
You are truly a gifted writer! -L&M
My initials before I was married included L & M. So, two of my favorite letters are L & M. I will gladly accept that comment. Thank you! 🙂 Sam
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! 🙂
🙂 My pleasure.
A beautifully written, touching story, Sam! Well done! It was a pleasure to read and it tells us something of who you are.