London

Mummy and Daddy said we were going to London to see the Queen's house and a big building called the National Gallery with lots of colours and paintings in it. There was no picture in my head of where we were going and that made me feel scared. I don't like going somewhere that I don't know.

But I DO like going in the car, listening to the Proclaimers and banging my pig book in time to the music! Daddy did the cross voice when I kept pressing the music buttons with my toes, but I wanted to hear the same song over and over, and I didn't like it when it kept changing.

In London there was so much noise and so many people that I did not want to get out of my purple chair at all. I put my fingers in my ears and leaned forward so that I could not see the people.

We had lunch in Old MacDonalds and I bit and threw my chips at all the people around me. Mummy and Daddy did the very cross voice. I threw my fish fingers on the floor, and then the ketchup - such a good SPLAT it made! I grabbed and poured Daddy's drink all down me - so cold and wet! Mummy bought me a new t-shirt - blue with a red heart - warm and bright.

A long, long walk to the Queen's house, fingers in ears, safe in my purple chair. I didn't see a house or a queen... just a big building that Luca said was Duckingham Palace. Lots of black railings with gold tops that made me feel dizzy, and people everywhere. Daddy said, "Are you having a nice time, Zac? Yes or No" and I said Nice time, No.

Mummy said "Time for the National Gallery now" and another long walk, but this time there were so many people that we couldn't get through. Bright rainbow flags everywhere and music and dancing and so much noise that even my fingers in my ears didn't work.

At last a cool quiet space and a ride up in a lift. Then bright light and huge rooms for me to run in! I got out of my purple chair, but the ceiling was so high I thought it might fall on me, so Daddy held my hand. On the walls big squares of bright colours and shapes - a tiger, some big yellow flowers, babies with wings. On the floor, tiny patterns and shapes. I took off my socks and ran and banged my pig book and shouted and laughed. A blue man spoke with a cross voice and told us to go out of the room. Then I heard Daddy do a cross voice too.

Afterwards, chocolate cake and a gingerbread man, and then a long walk back to the car. Not many people now... I slouched down and let my bare feet trail on the ground, feeling the warm smooth pavement. Daddy kept telling me to sit up and that I would hurt my feet, but I kept sliding down again, enjoying the sound of my feet swooshing along.

Home at last. I did not like London and I did not like the Queen's house... but I did like that chocolate cake!


Some explanations:

• Old MacDonalds is Zac's special name for McDonalds!
• The "Queen's house" is, of course, Buckingham Palace (though we preferred Luca's name for it!)
• The dizzyness caused by the black railings is an unfortunate result of Zac's Sensory Processing Disorder. Lots of vertical lines in a row can really affect his vision and cause him distress. At one time he couldn't walk past railings or fence-posts or even get through doorways without hysterics. He's a lot better with vertical lines now, but they can still stress him out from time to time. (He also has a problem with high glass ceilings, as mentioned in this and other posts.)
• On our walk to the National Gallery, the "bright rainbow flags" were part of the London Gay Pride march, which we hadn't realised was on that day! Luca loved seeing the colourful costumes and the parade, but it was yet another source of sensory stress for poor Zac.
• The "blue man" was of course one of the curators at the Gallery who, unfortunately, demonstrated a real lack of awareness and understanding of people like Zac. We were made to feel very uncomfortable when he asked us to leave as Zac was banging his book and making noises. It's difficult enough coping with people staring on a daily basis, without encountering such open hostility as well. And Zac surely has just as much right to enjoy the Gallery as anyone else! After lots of explanation (and a few heated words!) hands were shaken and we continued with our appreciation of the wonderful works of Picasso, van Gogh, and Seurat.

All in all, we felt a real sense of achievement for successfully taking Zac (plus a 5 year old and a baby) to London and back. The day certainly had its moments, but it felt great to do something "normal"!

Key:
WHITE text is me, "speaking" as Zac
GREEN text is direct quotes from Zac
GREY text is background commentary or explanation