Asperger Diaries: Jamie's New School (2 page)

*****

Angela's
Diary

Jamie is
nervous about the move to his new school. He shouldn’t be because
he is very academic. He almost always came top in the class at
Westlake. He is worried about the number of new subjects he will do
at senior school. He doesn’t like the idea of studying a foreign
language. Lesley was nervous when she started at Armthorpe, but she
soon settled in. They are very different. You wouldn't think they
were brother and sister. Lesley is outgoing and loud. Jamie is much
quieter, and very shy. Westlake is a lovely school. There were
never more than fifteen kids in Jamie’s class. Armthorpe is much
bigger, so hopefully he will make more friends. Lesley made a lot
of new friends as soon as she started there.

He spent ages
looking at Armthorpe’s web site today. He showed me the teachers’
photographs. He thought some of them look mean. He doesn’t like the
idea of having to swap classrooms for different lessons. I
explained that’s how it works at all large senior schools. He said
it is inefficient because he will waste lots of time walking from
room to room. Most kids are pleased to get a break between
lessons.

16th August
(Tuesday)

Jamie's
Diary

My missing
to-do list was in the waste paper bin. Mum must have thrown it
away. I wish she would just leave my stuff alone. I don't go into
her room and throw her things away. She wouldn't like it if I
did.

Lesley never
stops moaning. Today she was complaining that we don’t go abroad
for our holidays. I’m scared of flying. I wouldn’t mind going on a
boat, or through the Channel Tunnel. I don’t like the idea of being
in a country where I don’t speak the language. If I do go abroad, I
want to go to a city which has a tram system. She should stay at
home if she doesn't like St Annes, and let me enjoy my holiday.

*****

Angela's
Diary

I received a
letter from Armthorpe today. Jamie gets to visit there, for a half
day, on the Tuesday after we get back from St Annes. He will meet
his form teacher, and find out which set and house he is in.
Hopefully, he will get talking to a few of the other kids. The
letter said he would be given a guided tour of the school. I'm
pleased about that because he is terrified he won't be able to find
his way around.

If it was
anyone else I would swing for them. I love him to bits, but when he
has a go at me for throwing something away which I haven't even
seen - I could murder the little sod!

Lesley and
Jamie can pack their own suitcases this year. Lesley insisted she
couldn’t possibly get everything into one case. I could have
argued, but I am trying to pick my battles with her these days. I
agreed to her taking one large case, and one small one.

17th August
(Wednesday)

Jamie's
Diary

I went into
town with mum again. I wasn’t bothered about going because I was
looking at the tram forums. She said I could look for a book to
read on the journey to St Annes. We went in Bargain Parade first,
but I didn’t buy anything. The town centre was busy because the
schools are still on holiday. There were crowds of kids hanging
around the mall. They sit around, but don’t actually do anything. I
can’t see the point. Lesley was with a bunch of boys and girls. Mum
shouted hello, but Lesley ignored her. Mum said she didn’t think
Lesley had seen us, but I’m sure she had.

There aren’t
many books on trams in the bookshops in town. I usually buy them
online, or from The Tram Shop in Blackpool. I managed to find one
called The Spirit of British Trams. Mum bought it for me, but I
can’t have it until Saturday. Mum said if she gave it to me before
then I would finish it before we set off on holiday.

I didn't want
to go to the cinema because the soundtrack is always much too loud.
It makes my ears hurt. There’s always someone talking or moving
around. Some people leave their telephones switched on even though
you are meant to turn them off. Mum bought me some popcorn to take
home. This afternoon, I watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate
Factory on DVD. It’s one of my favourite films. I ate just over
half of the popcorn. I enjoyed it, but felt a bit sick when I had
finished.

Lesley didn’t
have dinner with us. She rang mum to say she was going to stay at
her friend’s house tonight. I don’t think mum was very pleased.

*****

Angela's
Diary

I managed to
drag Jamie to town again, but only after I promised to buy him a
book. I hate to see him stuck in the house. I suggested he call
David or Rocky to see if they want to meet up, or come over. He
won't, he never does. He always waits for them to contact him. I’ve
told him until I’m blue in the face that it should be give and
take. If Rocky called him last time, it’s up to him to call Rocky
this time. I might as well talk to myself.

I thought I
might avoid the obligatory visit to Tatt Parade. No chance. He made
a beeline for it as soon as we had parked the car. I said it would
be nice to go somewhere else first for a change. He said I was
selfish.

Lesley was in
town with friends, but she didn’t see us. There are small gangs of
kids all around town especially in the mall. I did the same sort of
thing at Lesley’s age. Kids these days seem to spend most of their
time staring at their mobile phones. I don’t know what Lesley used
to do before she had hers. I offered to buy Jamie a mobile phone,
but he didn’t want one. He might change his mind when he’s been at
Armthorpe for a few months.

I asked Jamie
if he wanted to go to the cinema, but he wasn’t interested. He’s
never been a big fan. When he was much younger, we once had to come
out half way through a performance because it was too loud for him.
Lesley wasn’t old enough to be left by herself in the cinema, so
she had to leave with us. She wasn’t very pleased.

18th August
(Thursday)

Jamie's
Diary

Mum was angry
because I didn’t put a sheet of newspaper on the dining room table
when I painted my model tram. I dripped a few spots of paint on the
table. She said it would be impossible to get off. She always
exaggerates. She managed to get the paint off last time. Mum made
me clear away before I had finished painting. It’s not fair. I
don’t see why we couldn’t have had our dinner on trays. What does
it matter where we eat our dinner? If I spoil my tram it will be
mum's fault.

Mum and Lesley
had an argument because mum said Lesley couldn’t stay out for
dinner again today. Lesley swore at mum. Mum threatened to stop her
pocket money. That shut Lesley up. Lesley is always trying to
scrounge money off mum and dad. All she does is waste it on makeup
and clothes.

I have to pack
my suitcase by tomorrow evening. I’ve never packed a suitcase
before, so I don’t know how to go about it. Mum said I had to
decide which clothes I want to take with me. How am I supposed to
do that when I don’t know what the weather will be like? And how do
I fold my clothes? I had a look on the Internet and found
instructions for folding trousers and t-shirts. I tried to follow
them, but it all went wrong. I will try again tomorrow morning. It
isn’t fair that Lesley is taking two cases. Mum said girls need
more clothes than boys. Lesley always gets her own way. No one
cares what I want.

I asked Lesley
how many different classrooms she goes in each day at Armthorpe.
She said she wasn’t sure, but probably four or five. I asked her if
she ever got lost when she first started at Armthorpe. She said she
didn’t because she isn’t simple.

I reckon that
there will be about thirty kids in my class at Armthorpe, and about
one hundred and twenty in my year. At Westlake there were only
fifteen kids in my year, and all of them were in my class. I knew
all of their names. I will never remember the names of everyone in
my year at Armthorpe.

I spilled the
rest of the popcorn on my bedroom floor. I forgot the bucket was
next to my bed, and kicked it over. It took me ages to pick it up.
The carpet feels sticky when I walk on it without my socks on. I
didn’t tell mum.

*****

Angela's
Diary

I thought I
would save myself some time by getting the kids to pack their own
cases. Bad idea! World war three almost broke out when Jamie found
out Lesley was taking two cases to his one. It’s not as though he
needs two. He’s never been interested in clothes. If he had a
second case, he would fill it with books or even model trams. When
Jamie was four or five he used to insist on taking his favourite
toys on holiday with him. We daren’t leave any behind. It could
spoil the holiday if we did. One year, when we went to Llandudno, I
forgot his favourite fire engine. We were staying in a small motel.
The first night was terrible. We got hardly any sleep because he
had one tantrum after another. I dread to think what the other
guests made of all the noise. We managed to salvage the rest of the
holiday by finding an identical fire engine in one of the toys
stores the next day.

Andrew
disappeared again tonight. He’s good at going missing when anything
needs doing. Apparently there was a meeting to plan the next steam
rally, or something equally riveting. I know he is out at work all
day, but it wouldn’t do him any harm to pull his weight a bit more
at home.

I had a look
online to see what kind of part time jobs are available. I worked
in a shop before I had Lesley. That was so long ago I doubt my
experience will count for anything now. I don’t mind what I do. I’d
settle for anything that gets me out of this house.

*****

Lesley's
Journal

Yesterday, me
and Courtney bumped into Tony Jarvis in the mall. We were chatting
to him when mum showed up, shouting and waving - she is such an
embarrassment. Tony's in the year above us. He asked us to go to a
party at his house last night. Courtney didn't want to go. She was
scared of what her dad would say. I got her to pretend she was
coming over to mine, and I rang mum to say I was staying at
Courtney's. There were loads of people there. Tony's parents had
gone away for the weekend. He's going to get killed when they come
back because someone threw up all over the carpet in the lounge.
Courtney was drunk. I wasn't. I only had a couple of bottles of
cider. We crashed on the floor. If mum finds out she will ground me
forever. It was worth it though. Tony is really fit.

19th August
(Friday)

Jamie's
Diary

I told mum to
pack for me. I can’t get the case to fasten. I managed to do it
once, but then realised I hadn’t put any underwear in. Mum asked me
which clothes I wanted to take. I don’t care. Anything will do. I
don’t want to think about packing any more. I shouldn't have to do
it anyway. It's mum's job.

I’ve finished
painting the Leeds Feltham Tram. I had to do it in my bedroom
because mum said I couldn’t use the dining room table again. I
dripped a little paint on my bedroom carpet. I don’t think mum will
notice because the carpet is very dark. I would like a display case
to put my completed models in. At the moment they are spread all
around my bedroom.

I asked mum if
I can ride on the trams every day next week. She said I wouldn’t be
able to go on every day. I asked her how many days I can go on
them. She said she would think about it. Why can't people ever give
you a straight answer?

I am going to
bed early tonight because we are setting off first thing in the
morning. Mum and dad are going to take turns driving. I have to sit
in the back with Lesley. When we were younger, we used to play
I-spy together on car journeys. She won’t play now because she says
it is too childish. I asked mum if I could have my new book
tonight, but she said no. I hope Lesley doesn’t have her stupid
music on too loud tomorrow. The buzzing sound drives me mad. Mum
has bought the wrong sweets. We should have fizzy sweets when we go
on a long car journey. She has bought fruit pastilles. She said we
can get fizzy sweets tomorrow.

*****

Angela's
Diary

It looks like I
will have to pack for Jamie. He has managed to screw up all of his
clothes. I think that was his attempt at folding. I’m certainly not
ironing them again. Lesson for today: if you want something doing,
do it yourself.

I should be
looking forward to the break, but our holidays are rarely restful.
Andrew is always in his own little world, so I have to sort out the
kids. When they were little, they used to play together most of the
time. Now they are older, they have nothing to do with one another.
All Jamie wants to do is to ride the trams. I’m definitely not
going to do that all week long. Andrew will have to take his turn.
I can go shopping with Lesley provided she doesn’t mind being seen
out with me. She won’t mind if she thinks I am going to buy her
something.

Jamie didn’t
stop talking about trams all day. I could have gleefully strangled
him – Lesley nearly did. He used to be obsessed with dinosaurs. I
never thought I would say it, but I would love to go back to the
dinosaur phase. At least we didn’t have to plan our holidays around
that.

I meant to ask
Jamie what he had done with the letter from Armthorpe, but he went
to bed early, and I forgot about it. I don’t suppose I’ll ever see
that again. His bedroom is a bit like the Bermuda Triangle.

*****

Lesley's
Journal

If that little
snot talks about trams all the way there tomorrow he is going to
accidentally fall out the car door. I tried to sweet talk dad into
letting me sit in the front, but it didn't work. Dad should sit in
the back with Jamie - they could bore each other to death. I
managed to get some extra spending money off mum - so at least I
might get some clothes out of this nightmare.