Six Degrees of Separation- Dunkin Donuts in Orleans, MA

Six Degrees of Separation explores the existential premise that everyone in the world is connected to everyone else in the world by a chain of no more than six acquaintances, thus six degrees of separation. Wikipedia

It is a crisp electric sky blue glorious autumn day at Cape Cod. It is Saturday and Matt and Billy are on the road. Their preferred lunch stop today is a New England classic, Dunkin Donuts. At the front of the line is a physically fit young man in his mid to late twenties. Although polite and well mannered, (he addresses the employee as ma’am, and precisely includes please and thank-you for all social interactions) he appears uneasy or unadjusted in this cheerful, familiar muffin and coffee aroma filled establishment. Billy and Matt stand right in line behind this young man and Matt notices how his physical demeanor appears “coiled”. Perhaps Matt’s radar is more acute because it has to be. Historically Billy’s sounds, jumps, gestures and general movement patterns are either a magnet for human generosity, curiosity, and good will or a fulcrum for human derision, rigidity, and intolerance. In those split seconds, when Matt reads the situation, Billy jumps and clears his throat due to an allergy condition that inflames the lining of his esophagus. That medical reality doesn’t matter. Billy’s guttural sounds are jarring and his deliberate jump in line is not social protocol. Startled, the young man in line reacts instantly and with a muscular intensity. Sensing his heightened level of disturbance, Matt acknowledges both of these young men’s separate but connected realities. “My son has autism and I apologize if he caught you off guard”. The young man immediately disarms and states that what Billy did was fine. He was the one who was a bit “jumpy” since he returned home from Iraq.

So what are the six degrees of connection?

1. These two young athletic men in their respective twenties are Dunkin Donut muffin aficionados.
2. Both young men have habits, rituals and preferred structures that enable them to manage and sometimes cope with social environments that seem remote.
3. Both young men have goals and aspirations for their respective lives ahead.
4. Both young men struggle and work hard to make the transitions in their lives.
5. Both young men have experienced inordinate strife, pain, hardship and heartbreak in their young lives.
6. Neither individual will ever fully comprehend their human alliance.