Evan: My pleasure, Dr. G.

Dr. Gwynette: Tell us about your work experiences.

Evan: Well, and I’ll start back during my sophomore year at high school, where the first ever job I really worked was at Piggly Wiggly on Hilton Head.

Dr. Gwynette: And how was it?

Evan: Not too bad. Not too hard. You just dealt with bagging and eventually shelving. Yeah, it got busy over the summer, but it was nothing major.

Dr. Gwynette: How’d you feel like the customers and your coworkers treated you?

Evan: Back then, nobody really criticized me. Nobody really, nobody really questioned me about my skills or whatnots of what I knew. I just went on with the flow, did a job like any employee and that’s almost the coworkers treated me. And customers were always nice. Some of them even tipped me, even though tipping’s not allowed.

Dr. Gwynette: That’s awesome. And then as you aged, you’ve got other jobs.

Evan: Yes.

Dr. Gwynette: Without naming any specific places, can you tell us what type of work that you’ve done?

Evan: I’ve done other bagging. I’ve done secretary work. I’ve done administrative work.

Dr. Gwynette: And how’d you like that?

Evan: I feel as though my level was rising up. Go into the big leagues. Never thought I’d get a job like that.

Dr. Gwynette: That’s so cool. What kind of tasks would you take care of when you were an administrator?

Evan: People’s taxes and money.

Dr. Gwynette: Taking care of money and taxes.

Evan: Making sure they paid their bills on time and what they have forthcoming.

Dr. Gwynette: Now, would you talk to your boss or talk to your customers and say, will they know you have autism?

Evan: Not unless I told them.

Dr. Gwynette: And how would you handle that?

Evan: That’d be the first thing I’d want them to know about me.

Dr. Gwynette: Really?

Evan: Why wait?

Dr. Gwynette: What were the advantages of talking to people and telling them you have autism?

Evan: Getting them to get the experience of working with someone like that.

Dr. Gwynette: And did you ever, because people knew you had autism?

Evan: The only thing that concerned me was how people would think about me or talk about me behind my back, but that really never bothered me. And it never really came as a second thought. Most of the time people talk to me in a positive manner.

Dr. Gwynette: So you feel like your interactions were positive, healthy?

Evan: Yes, most of the time I saw I was able to speak up and do the job right. Only time I would get complaints is if I didn’t do the job quite right, and maybe too many mistakes.

Dr. Gwynette: What should people know about individuals with autism if they’re going to be working with them?

Evan: Whether you tell them or not, you’re not as different from everyone else. You may think differently. Your brain may work in a different way, but you’re still a person. Don’t think just because you’re new in a place and somebody is new working with you, you shouldn’t feel unknown or worried. So that they’ll instantly criticize you.
Go with the flow at first, and treat every day as everyday you would treat your life. And every person you would with people close to you. It goes to the golden rule, treat others the way you want to be treated.

Dr. Gwynette: That’s a great reminder. Do you feel like if there’s people out there who’ve worked with an individual with autism, side-by-side, do they need to have more patience or should they be more friendly? Or what recommendations would you?

Evan: Patience, understanding, willingness, acceptance, and accepting in charge working with somebody different. Somebody who may not think the same as they do. They’ve got to learn to accept that not everyone in the world is perfect.

Dr. Gwynette: I don’t think anyone in the world’s perfect.

Evan: No, whether they’re on the spectrum or not. No.

Dr. Gwynette: Did anyone ever come to you and say, “Hey, you have a special talent and we’re glad you’re here?”

Evan: Yes. I can’t remember the times, but I have heard that from some people and it’s made me happy.

Dr. Gwynette: Do you feel like it’s common that people tell you, like you have great ability or do you think it’s rare people tell you that?

Evan: It depends on how they see me perform my task. And if I’m helping them. If they think I’m doing a good job, they mostly saw like that.

Dr. Gwynette: Have you enjoyed being around other people at work?

Evan: Oh yes, I love socialization. I’m such a social butterfly. Maybe back in my old school days I wasn’t, but I’ve gotten much better at that. Now I’ve got to the point where after this Covid phase that if I’m not with a group of people socializing, I could go crazy because being alone is the worst anyone can suffer.

Dr. Gwynette: I think a lot of people believe that, “Oh, that guy or that gal has autism and they don’t want to talk to anyone.”

Evan: It’s not entirely true. Yes, we may not know how to properly talk. We seriously, deep down, we seriously want to get out there because if we don’t, we won’t have anyone to connect to or see what other people are like. How else we’re going to know how these people are around autism individuals if we don’t first branch out or talk with them? We can’t just stay in our comfort zones 24/7. I think we’re better off without any of them. Trust me, I know.

Dr. Gwynette: So being around people, being connected has helped you stay happy.

Evan: Well, like I said, whether on the spectrum or not, yes. It doesn’t matter who you make friends with. Well, as long as they are the right kind of people. The kind who think, who have similar interests and thoughts as you do. And don’t give it, forgive my language, don’t give a damn about how you think or how you behave.

Dr. Gwynette: That’s cool. All right. Do you feel like work has been fulfilling?

Evan: Oh yes, it’s taught me a lot. With each job that comes up, comes new experiences. And new experiences give me new skills and more knowledge. What I do love is learning new things.

Dr. Gwynette: Any dreams for the future, what you want to do?

Evan: Probably be a writer.

Dr. Gwynette: Oh. What would you write about?

Evan: Fiction.

Dr. Gwynette: About?

Evan: Probably sci-fi, maybe fantasy.

Dr. Gwynette: Awesome. Good luck in that role. We have to encourage you to keep going.

Evan: Thank you very much, Doc.