Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s

Chapter 20 doesn’t specifically advance the narrative; instead, Robison uses it to dissect and analyze his own cognitive processes and the challenges that ordinary conversation poses for him. When his friend Laurie mentions that her friend is having an affair, and that “the guy rides a motorcycle just like yours” (189), Robison is perplexed as to how he should respond. The array of questions that come to his mind is staggering. What does her question imply? Why does she tell him? Does he know either the girlfriend or the guy in question (particularly since the guy has a motorcycle just like his)? Is Laurie suggesting that he should have an affair too? Most people would dismiss these questions as inappropriate or irrelevant, but for someone who doesn’t understand the subtle give-and-take of social conversation, all these questions are viable options. When Robison asks, “Which girlfriend is that?” (190), Laurie becomes defensive and guarded, as if he’s probing her for private information. His mind then sifts through a catalogue of possible responses based on the cues Laurie has just given him. Her defensiveness tells him that he’s on the wrong track, but what’s the right track?

Such are the mental gymnastics that people on the spectrum must go through to navigate an otherwise simple conversation.