Joe90 wrote:
I believe a new person with AS has just started at my place. He may or may not be, but one of the line managers said that he has a disability, but from what I met of him he seems quite normal with just a few odd ways, like he speaks with a monotone type of voice, needs instructions explained to him in a very precise way, and avoids eye contact with everyone.
But I have found he is quite confident in himself. On his first day, he asked me if I was using the hoover. I said no, then looked at a painter, who was painting the skirting-boards and had the hoover next to him. I backed away from asking the painter if he was using the hoover, and I thought the new young man would too, but he actually shouted out to the man, ''are you using this hoover?'' and the painter said no so the young man asked, ''can I use it please?'' He seemed quite confident and loud when he asked. On my first day I was so shy and nervous, and only said hello to people if they said hello first. I still don't intend to shout out questions to people there now, unless I am comfortable with them and know them well enough.
Would anyone here do that? I suppose I don't know much about extroverted Aspies because I didn't know any other Aspie when I was growing up, and I have two friends now who are on the spectrum, and one is shy like me, and the other struggles but tries too hard to not look like he's struggling. Is there anyone else here who would speak up when needing to? I suppose shyness and nervousness isn't necessarily present in every Aspie.
Joe, I wouldn't have any problems with such a communication. My problems lie with making small talk, and particularly personal conversations with people I don't know.
Having said this, we're all different, and the kindest thing we can do for ourselves is accept our own limitations gracefully.