Possible Autistic (middle of the spectrum) Classmate?

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I was in the cafeteria eating my meal. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone walk with a very odd, lunging gait to the fountain drink machines. I thought it might have been someone simply trying to save (quite) a few steps or be humorous. I sipped my drink, and looked up again. The guy was now lunging away from the drink machines. He was smiling as he walked. His face looked a bit scrunched up, like those I have seen in pictures of people with severe autism. As he smiled, he noticing someone looking at him who was seated at another table. The person at the table had an expression of laughter, as the lunging guy greeted him, out of the blue.

So there's someone at my school more aspie-ish than I am. Moreover, this guy seemed downright autistic. He cannot be mentally disabled, if he is going to the college I go to, at least, so perhaps he is HFA.

I know some individual with Asperger's wrote an article on the subject for my college newspaper. Maybe this is him.

This reminds me of a boy I knew. He was quite socially awkward (to say the least) but he had that walking like you describe. But he had palsy or something.

Where are you located?

I don't "lurch," but my ball-of-the-foot walking style has lead one classmate to ask if I was practicing walking in high heels--of course I wasn't! I couldn't even keep upright in high heels let alone walk about in them!

Oh wow, you're female too, guess I always pictured you as Calvin (love those comics by the way).

I used to bounce a little going downstairs, but not anymore, and not nearly as much as this kid in my class who I'm sure is an aspie. It kind of looks as though he had springs in his shoes.

Yes, I am female, but I so many people call me "sir" just because they go off if my short, spiky hair and, due to sensory issues, I have to wear loose clothes...so it's all good. You know that look Calvin's mom always has when he does something bizarre? That is the look my mom wore all while I was growing up--and I guess that since I have a lot of growing up to still, she still wears that expression sometimes. (Isn't it funny that people say "wear an expression" as if it were something they could put on and take off, like clothes?)

"Wear an expression" - you might have just discovered the NT secret - all facial expressions are faked!

One of my favorite strips:

"You know what I like to do when someone's talking to me? I stare at the person's chin. I'll nod and resspond to whatever he's sayin, but I keep looking at his chin and changing my expression. i look quizzical at first, then vaguely repulsed, and later, quietly amused. Then I'll suddenly arch my eyebrows and blink a lot, and then I look skeptical and disbelieving. You get bonus points every time the person loses his train of thought."
"I'll bet your natural charm has made you a good sprinter."

I think there is an Aspie girl in my math class. Her way of communicating, kind of terse and a little self-assured but also somewhat bewildered or made nervous by the social interaction going on around her, just seems to indicate it. She also mentioned she had a boyfriend.

I am located in north-central Alabama.