Thread by @Matedwards7

This is my son Ethan. Ethan is 14 and he has autism. Today his mum and sister had an appointment at Addenbrookes Hospital so it fell upon me to take Ethan out for the day. If you're interested this is a thread about how we got on. Word of warning, there aren't any pictures. 1/13

Ethan wanted to go to the 'World of Miniatures' at Wrexham in Norfolk. We'd been earlier in the year but Ethan likes model trains and he likes repetition. The mad dash out of the house to get the early bus began characteristically badly as he forgot to pack his hat. 2/13

Ethan always forgets something. Hat packed we were just about to get on the bus when my phone inexplicably lost all my data and ceased functioning. Hmm, going all the way to Norfolk with Ethan and no phone and now needing new tickets having lost my email bookings. 3/13

Nope we're going and that's final. In town I fend off the usual barrage of questions about exact timings and we catch the Norwich train with it's cooling aircon. Ethan chills now in both senses of the word. He spots a deer, or thinks it was "an animal of some type." 4/13

All change at Norwich and we eat bananas by the Wensum. Ethan wants to get in to swim, a newly learned skill he's acquired and I have to patiently talk him out of it. We get the Wroxham train mercifully dry and on arrival the first stop is the church for Dad to take photos. 5/13

The church doorway has weird carvings including creatures with their bums sticking out. Ethan spots this, looks closer, says nothing but his face is a look of half amusement and half confusion. Back in Wroxham we come across a very tame heron. 6/13

Ethan loves animals and they seem to sense this. Although not a vegetarian, he won't eat anything shaped like an animal or with an animal likeness. We have wonderful hot rolls by the river, something that puts a temporary halt to the questions. 7/13

The town is busy and every time we cross a road Ethan waves his thanks to confused looking drivers, especially the ones stuck at a red light. A few shops where the low level complaining hits in and then Miniature Worlds. 8/13

The railway layouts are superb. Here he's in his element. We go straight to a cabinet of model Thomas The Tank Engine models are located and he's able to work out the 36 that are missing. It's his specialist subject. 9/13

Going home begins with uncontrolled angst about the fact that the train is a few minutes late. It's quiet angst but simmering. I'm as relieved as he is to see it turn up to avoid the meltdown. Then he spots the dead pigeon on the track. "It's not dead" he says repeatedly. 10/13

It's a hot day and the train aircon works it's magic. Changing at Norwich Ethan almost leaves the toy train bridge he bought on the table but I direct him back to it. The trip home is hot and slow. 11/13

One of Ethan's job is to collect the family washing in every night. Not tonight, "I'm too tired" "You're not too tired to help" "Yes I am" This verbal fencing continues all up our street. We're both hot and bothered after the Mersea bus was like a greenhouse on wheels. 12/13

"Alright" he says stamping his foot, "I'll get it out of the way first" Ethan never refuses, he objects a lot but ultimately his sense of right and wrong outweighs his objections. "Did you enjoy your day I asked later, "Loved it" he replied. 13/13 #autism