Callum was born to middle-aged parents of a grown-up family and Mum tried so
hard to bring him up as an unspoiled brat. This was frustration with a capital
"F". He wound her around his little finger, saying, "I wuv you Mummy", followed
by a huge sloppy kiss.
I remember when he poked coloured pencils down the kitchen sink plughole. Dad
had to remove the inspection plug as the pipe was blocked. He found 19 pencils
in that pipe.
The little 'angel' was about two years old and sitting in the front of the
shopping trolley at the local supermarket. He grabbed a bottle of tomato sauce
from the shelf and dropped it onto the floor. Oh, boy! One doesn't have to have
very much imagination to visualize the mess. Another time it was a 2-litre
bottle of juice.
One day to relieve boredom, Callum picked 51 immature, green grapefruit from the
tree and put them in his red plastic bucket. Next on the agenda was the
stripping of the Crucifix Orchid. Mum came inside after cleaning up the orchid
episode to find the dish-mop in the middle of a freshly baked lemon meringue pie
that had been left to cool on the table. When Mum discovered this, the kitchen
temperature rose rapidly.
Another time, the little devil took a handful of clothes that had been sorted
out into piles prior to washing, and threw them into the compost bin. They were
found about a week later, after Mum had searched high and low for them.
Away from home at the local bank, Callum locked one prospective customer out. As
he had already been instructed not to touch the lock, he was given a smack on
the hand. He stood there rubbing his hand, blinking back the tears, then roared,
"I'm taking off the smack you put there." Mum grabbed him and made a very speedy
exit.
In the back yard there is a bird feeder; every day birdseed is placed there to
attract the wild birds. One morning Mum looked out the kitchen window to see
Callum on his hands and knees with a packet of birdseed beside him and his mouth
full. Mum yelled at him to spit it out and he promptly retorted, "I'm a
kookaburra having a peck!"
Mum bakes bread frequently and during the process, rises the dough in the
warming oven. Callum also likes to bake (?) Bread. The plastic mixing bowl had
been missing for a few days and Mum had hunted in every possible place, or so
she thought. That was until the oven of the slow combustion stove needed
cleaning. There on the bottom of the oven was a hardened mass of plastic with a
small lump of bread dough in the middle.
Even shopping is a nightmare for Callum's Mum. In the fitting rooms of a
well-known emporium, Mum was trying on an outfit while a queue was gathering to
wait their turn for a cubicle. The curtain of the booth had become detached from
the rod and hung over the top as a temporary measure. This meant that downwards
from Mum's knees were visible to all and sundry. Callum, who was lying on the
floor, reached up and tugged the curtain down, revealing Mum in her bare
essentials, to the crowd. Who had a red face?
Eighteen-year-old brother was learning to drive and in compliance with road
rules displayed L-plates front and back. Callum, who was enrolled in a
learn-to-swim program at the local pool, wanted to know if he had to have
L-plates on, too?
Even big sister has not missed out on Callum's devilish deeds. A bottle of
expensive perfume had been left on her dressing table. Callum sprayed the
contents of this over the mirror and for days afterwards a heavy smell permeated
the room.
The kitchen, and not just the sink, has suffered greatly. With a plastic handled
potato peeler, the cupboards were peeled of all the paint around the edges.
Although Mum still claims she would not swap him for anyone else, Dad suggested
that Callum's future teachers be sent sympathy cards prior to commencement of
school.
Callum and Mum were in a large store and Callum was filling up a carton from the
self-serve containers of lollies. He gave an almighty tug at the handle to fill
the carton and with an earth-shattering crash two large plastic containers of
black and white jelly beans fell to the floor, scattering the contents
everywhere. Mum stood there transfixed and felt her face burning with
embarrassment. She grabbed Callum by the hand and made such a hurried exit she
would have done well in the Olympic games.
In Church one day, the minister mentioned that sometimes sermons are boring,
when dear Callum in a loud voice exclaimed, "he's right you know, Mum!"
Coming home from Primary School one afternoon, Callum attached the heavy metal
chain from the gateway of the school-ground to the tow bar of a parent's car, so
that when she drove off she pulled the post (to which the chain was attached)
out of the ground. Mum opened the front door to a most irate lady who told her
in no uncertain terms about her little 'horror' and his antics.
Sympathizers say, "never mind, he'll keep you young." Mum knows otherwise.
At age 6 years Callum was diagnosed with mild autism and his prep. Grade teacher
stated that:- "he has no idea how to interact with other children; buckles under
peer pressure and is easily teased; is unable to take responsibility for his
actions; is attention seeking within the classroom, calling out or grunting when
everyone else is quiet, or being silly and showing off; and doesn't know how to
act like a child".
Physically, his fine and gross motor skills are poor.
Callum was pressured into a few antisocial acts "because he wanted to keep his
friends"."
In 1995, the original diagnosis of mild autism was changed to Asperger's
Syndrome. His Grade 6 teacher reported that "Callum is poorly co-ordinated and
clumsy with odd gait and inability to take part in most playground activities at
an age-appropriate level. Callum is embarrassed by his fine motor difficulties
and needs constant supervision and support to manage scissors, glue, maths based
measuring instruments and rulers.
In Year 8 at Secondary College, Callum came first in the junior javelin section
and 3rd in shot put at the Athletic Sports. In Year 10 House Sports, he won the
800 meters running race and was a member of the School Cricket Team. Callum's
sporting achievements in Year 11 were Vice-House Captain; member of the Senior
Cricket Team and 2nd in the 1,500 meters. In his final Year 12, 1st in the 800
meters and a member of the Senior Cricket Team. He started off in table tennis
as B4 and rose to A1, after only playing for 2 terms.
Another comparison is between manners/social skills. In his early years, Callum
was very prone to interrupt during other people's conversation. His school
report for Year 12 was: "manners - 1 (top marks); reliability -1".
The two above paragraphs are inserted as an example of how God can do remarkable
things in a person's life.
Callum, in his final year of secondary school was chosen from the Year 12
students to represent the school body and was awarded with a dedication in the
school magazine. On a plaque he was given it stated: "A friend to all. Someone
who asks you how you are and actually takes the time to listen."
From being a person with one friend (?) In Prep Grade, Callum became known as "a
friend to all" by the end of his school life.
It has been very hard at times and I have wept many tears, but it has been worth
all the frustration, sadness and hurt, to see Callum as he is now - a beautiful
Christian youth.
The power of prayer is so very awesome, so very powerful. Never give up! "With
God, all things are possible."
Layne, mignon_fraser@hotmail.com
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