Autism Vox

Heart of Sailing and the Heart of It All

by Kristina Chew, PhD on September 4th, 2007

Charlie starts school on Wednesday; Jim starts teaching and is working on some editing projects that had to be deferred so he could finish his book on the Irish waterfront, the New York/New Jersey port, and the movie On the Waterfront; I am already teaching, advising, co-directing my college’s Honors program and fielding requests about courses, cross-listing, and planning; we are moving out of my in-laws’ house after living here for a year as their town has the right kind of educational program for Charlie. We are moving today, Tuesday, and I have been packing and preparing the eighth-century poet Hesiod’s Theogony and Jim is getting up early to rent a van and I’ve been emailing Charlie’s case manager because our move, being rather sudden, has disrupted the schedule for the schoolbus—-my car failed its inspection—Charlie has a new teacher (who was an aide last year), a new classroom, new classmates——-

I guess it’s a bit—-I’ll surmise that more than a few of you out there are contending with as much, or more, and all at once. It never rains but it pours with things to do.

So, of course, we hung around the house and packed and got ready, right?

Well. We went sailing.

Jim took us down his secret backroads route through the Pine Barrens and to a port on an inlet. There were three other families waiting to sail. Charlie got anxious waiting at a foodless picnic table in the hot sun as I dabbed his cheeks and nose with Banana Boat 30 suntan lotion (Jim had the 50). Then Captain John and his crew—another Charlie, Clayton, and George showed up—-the kids all donned lifevests, we boarded a beautiful old wooden sailboat, and a small motorized boat towed us all out to the bay.

Charlie had gone on a Heart of Sailing sail last September and had loved it. Today, he started sitting beside me in the stern on a bench; soon as we were out on the water, he went to sit by Jim in the bow. I could only see Charlie’s back and head under a captain’s hat for much of the sail, but I could tell how big his smile was (these photos give some idea of this). When the boat rocked up and water splashed and soaked everyone, Charlie grinned even bigger and hummed; rough waters delighted him; he rocked with the boat and the waves. The Captain called to Jim to hang on to Charlie when the boat was really swaying and the salt water was flying. Jim did as requested, but he and I both knew that Charlie is safer (safest?) in the water. All of the kids were curious and focused and, if I may so, enjoying themselves thoroughly (I only wish there could be a way to make the transition back to the dry land less wrenching). Everyone got a medal, a certificate, and a t-shirt (Jim borrowed Charlie’s); Charlie ran up and down the docks as the awards were bestowed, and then had a soothing swim in the warm ocean at low tide.

Charlie fell asleep with the blue ribbon of his Heart of Sailing medal twisted in his fingers.

I guess he won’t forget to bring it to our new home.

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POSTED IN: New Jersey, Schoolbus, Sports, Water