already working like a charm, and it gives me the idea that there must be some way of helping both Jack and the rest of the people in our little community to feel less isolated. I just need to work out what it is …
Chapter 8
Jack
I peer at myself in the mirror. This hair has got to go – it’s a disaster. Not that anyone’s going to see me at the moment but I can see my hair whenever I walk past anything shiny, even the kettle. It’s really bothering me now. It’s strange how things don’t get to you when you’re busy going about your usual business, but when you’re stuck in for days on end by yourself, you pick up on every little thing. That’s fine when it’s good things – like sometimes I can hear the faint drift of Greg’s sax or I might notice a beautiful but lost seagull calling overhead – but when it’s the water bubbling through the pipes when the boiler’s heating, or the fact my hair looks crap, it suddenly feels like a problem of gargantuan proportions.
I wish Greg played his sax more often; he’s a really talented musician. He’s probably at work now. I don’t envy him his job; I’d almost rather be stuck here all day. Almost. I had a chat with him yesterday. I can’t believe how time is passing. We have already been in lockdown more than two weeks and he was telling me what he has to deal with. The kids who are stuck at the care home are really struggling with the restrictions.
‘One girl,’ he told me, ‘likes her walk every day – it helps her cope with her anxiety, which is high at the best of times. But at the moment we often haven’t got enough staff to cover taking her out. So she’s got to walk on her own.’
‘What does she do?’ I asked.
‘Sometimes she still walks, but she says it’s lonely. Other times she’s just too anxious to go out. She says having to worry about not getting near people in case she gets the virus, as well as managing her usual anxiety, is too much. Then she just lies in bed all day as she’s too depressed to do anything else.’
‘That’s really upsetting. Isn’t there something you can do?’
‘We’re not allowed to do drives, which used to help her so much before. The car’s great because you’re both looking forwards and there’s less eye contact. This can really reduce anxiety for anyone with autism if they enjoy the car. There’s more distraction and less pressure on them to feel they have to make conversation. The student I’m talking about loves the countryside, so I used to take her for drives to see the trees and fields. Being stuck in at the moment, she’s trapped within the four walls, except for once a day when she can walk for hours, but even then she gets distressed as the parks and green spaces around here are busy on fine days and social distancing is practically impossible.’
‘Surely these kids should be an exception to some of those restrictions.’
‘In theory, yes, but in practice I understand the rules. Anyone could say they’re autistic to pop out to the beach or something.’
‘I s’pose, but it seems really hard.’
‘It is, but I’m trying different strategies to try to help. Another guy, he likes going out to the pub and gaming at the café round the corner. Of course he can’t do that right now so his anxiety is bad.’
‘How do you cope?’
‘Well, distraction is good, so we’re trying to do stuff inside like workouts. Routine is key, so we’ve all been doing that first thing in the morning. We try movies, but if they’re really stressed that doesn’t work – exercise seems best.’
‘Perhaps I should give it a go. I’m very unfit these days and a bit frustrated at having to stay in.’
‘I can recommend it. Also, I’m going to take in my sax. One of the students is really gifted on the piano so it would be good to get jamming.’
After our chat, I wondered what I could do, whilst I’m here; if there’s some way I can make a difference to other people who are struggling. I’m going to have to think of something. Meanwhile, talking of struggling, I need to do something with my hair.
I google ‘cutting your own hair in lockdown’ and watch a couple of cool guys on YouTube who had trendy styles