A friend today told me he'd heard an analogy for autism that absolutely suits my son: "Most people go through life like cars on the highway, changing lanes and making turns. Autistic folks are like trains on a track."

My son, Maxfield, has Aspergers and is on the highly functioning end of the spectrum. He has an amazing focus. He sees right through so many things in life, yet stumbles on some of the most basic things.

In fact right this very instant, he's on the verge of a trantrum. I've got to figure out what's got him wound up this time.

Next day: His frustration that time was merely that he wanted to use the computer, but I was obviously in his way. Easy remedy - let the dude use the computer. And the growling stops for a little while.

I can usually find a way around his frustrations and avoid tantrums, but not always. Leaving the apartment is almost always a difficult chore. Even when we're going someplace fun or getting things for him, he'll at the very least refuse to get ready (shoes, coat, etc.) and at the worst, scream and throw things.

We've worked out some routines that help get him out. If I can give him a definite plan like "we're going to Winco then Uwajimaia". Somehow having a plan in his head comforts him.

Every stop of a trip out increases the chance of a tantrum, so we try to keep our trips down to 1 or 2 stops. My daughter used to have cello lessons in Tacoma - a good 45 minute trip one-way. It was too much for my son. After he had several tantrums as we were driving home which seriously threatened our safety, I had to ask my daughter to stop seeing her beloved cello teacher.

Isolation seems to be a growing part of our lives. But maybe next time I'll write more on that and the problems with having a really bright boy in a school system that doesn't want to accomodate the difficult aspects of his personality.