Do you Recognize your Fellow Aspie?

Post Reply New Topic

Yes!

Most memorable time I was eating pizza in Sbarro's while a guy on a table next to me was being interviewed for a job there.

I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but the way he was answering questions and going into a lot of detail just made me think "wow this guy is interviewing and talking exactly like I do!"

Eventually the interviewer asked what challenges he had in life and the guy responded he was born with Asperger's Syndrome and that was a struggle. I was shocked. Aspie-radar was working that day.

Sorry for bumping this thread.

But yes in most cases I can recognize a fellow Aspie.

Most recently, there's this girl that caught my eye. I had Business Law class with her a few months ago. I spent some time hanging out with her. And here's what I noticed (it's a bit long, but here goes):

Our Business Law prof was a funny guy. While nearly everyone (including myself) in the class laughed at his jokes, she didn't. She just sat there with a tense facial expression and minimal eye contact. On campus, she is seen alone 99% of the time. She is remarkably attractive like many people on the spectrum. Unlike most everyone in our class, she types her notes on her laptop rather than writing them down. She also writes tests and exams at the Test Center (an accommodation mainly for people with learning disabilities and/or mental disorders). She's not an international student so no language barriers. Her voice is rather monotone and not very loud. She never participated in class discussions (even if she was obviously stuck), but during breaks she has attempted to strike convos with a couple classmates. And asked the prof a question once. She successfully did both, albeit awkwardly and briefly. She ends convos with either 'Bye' or just walks away. She's incredibly good at math and geography. She is unintentionally blunt and has difficulty reading between the lines. She has difficulty detecting social cues and properly showing empathy. Her routine is structured (If anything gets in the way, she gets frustrated). She is also repetitive. All her phones and laptops must be from Apple with the same color and size. When she gets coffee, it must be from the same company with the same flavor and size. Lastly, she is in her early 20s, takes only 2-4 classes per semester and has zero work experience (not even Co-op).

To date she hasn't confirmed whether she is on the spectrum or not. But I'd be very surprised if she isn't an Aspie or high functioning Autist. My Aspie-dar must be strong.

In my opinion, if they're introverted, lonely, and walk and talk similarly to me or my Aspie friends, chances are good that they are on the spectrum.

YES! Before I was DX, I remember talking to another neurodiverse person about Autism and thinking "doesn't everybody?" Later, after I found out I was also on this spectrum, I asked her if she could tell I was AS - she said yes.

Now I can see it in others, knowing what to look for. I seem to be attracted to people with similar traits.