Billy’s White Paper

A white paper (or “whitepaper”) is an authoritative report or

guide that often addresses issues and how to solve them. Wikipedia

If you can’t speak and your communication device does not contain the word, picture, or symbol for a white bathroom rug you need, what would you do? The answer doesn’t come quickly because it requires creative problem solving. It also demands faith that the person you work with believes you have a message. In other words, the success of the social engagement is predicated on the often overlooked, devalued, and even maligned concept that an individual on the autism spectrum is a communicator.

So when Billy realizes that his device does not contain the word “rug”, what does he do? In the heat of the moment, Billy’s frustration mounts. This is a normal human response. What is extraordinary is Billy’s uncanny persistence. Billy believes he is a communicator and so even the byzantine mazes he must sometimes navigate to make his point are worth the dead ends.

So a member of Billy’s team follows his incomprehensible lead. With his device, Billy asks for the key to unlock the door that leads to a basement office. Billy explains to Natalie that he wants “paper”. They descend the steps and Billy walks to a stack of white typing paper and holds up the white paper to his friend, Natalie. Most adults would raise their hands up in the air in complete exasperation. If that too eerily familiar scenario happened, Billy would be silenced. The Billy I know would cease to exist.

Like good detectives, however, Natalie and Billy revisit the scene of the communication altercation. The bathroom is the nexus. Billy stands in front of the vanity clutching the white paper. Natalie scans the room and realizes that the bathroom has only one white organic cotton rug where there should be two floor covers. She looks at Billy. Billy looks at her. Placing the square white paper in front of the vanity, she says “Billy do you mean rug?” Billy nods and clicks his tongue between his lips. The white paper is removed and the white rug is put in its rightful home. Relief- yes Jubilation –yes Communication – you bet!

In the end, it was a white piece of paper that became an ad lib symbol for a missing white bathroom rug. Billy knew that ultimately if he persisted and his communication partner waited, listened and encouraged him, Billy would break through the glass wall and his voice would be heard.