We went shopping today. It was a normal trip to the supermarket for some groceries.

I have done this dozens of times with Jonah.

But today, walking down one of the aisles, Jonah just started to cry. I turned a corner and he just started SCREAMING.

I had no idea why.

He is small enough that he still sits in the basket of the shopping cart (trolley), which was fortunate because he would have shutdown and melted down right there on the spot.

As it was, I had about half my shopping done, but my adrenaline started pumping and it was time to “leave.”

So I headed toward the checkout. The screaming escalated.

Heads turned.

It felt like a spotlight was on us.

Mutterings. Whisperings.

It is a slow-motion feeling of dread.

I’m sure you know the drill.

I honestly thought about just abandoning my cart full of groceries right there and leaving.

I just wanted to get out as quickly as I could. I had no patience (or care) to explain about “autism” to any bystanders.

I went to the self-checkout line so I wouldn’t have to talk to anyone and (blessedly) there wasn’t anyone else in front of me.

I put my head down, grit my teeth, and scanned all the items I had in the cart. Jonah was still screaming, but had not yet escalated to throwing things or hitting yet.

I paid and left.

It dawned on me when I got to the parking lot.

I didn’t get any milk. That’s what caused all of ‘this.’

Jonah wasn’t really thirsty per se, but it has become a shopping routine that we ALWAYS pick up some milk when we go to the store. I had waltzed right past the milk and had not picked any up.

But it was too late at that point.

I was to the car. Jonah was still screaming. Blessedly, he let me buckle him in to his car seat. I thought for sure we would have it out in the parking lot with Jonah refusing to sit.

I looked around for the closest cart return… It wasn’t close.

I got the groceries unloaded and contemplated leaving the shopping cart right there next to my car and leaving…

And you know what happened next?

A nice lady came over to me and said “I’ll take that back for you.”

She saw what was going on, saw a way she could help and freely offered assistance.

It made my day.

Some people muttered about my ‘unruly kid.’

One person actually stopped and helped.

Care and Understanding.

Thanks to A year in the life of Autism for sharing.
Original Facebook Post.