CHAPTER 1
“If you make believe hard enough it’s true, it is for you and
others will believe it, too.” From ‘The Song of Solomon’
I’M A BEST VIDEO GAME PLAYER FOR SUPER METROID
RANDOMIZER SUPER SMASH BROS 64 AND TINY CHAO
GARDEN EVERY TOMORROW. I’M DOING THIS FOR FUN AND I’LL DO HACKS AND FAN GAMES ONLY 4 HEROES MARIO KIRBY SAMUS FROM METROID AND SONIC. SUBSCRIBE COMMENT AND LIKE IF YOU ENJOY MY VIDEOS BUT I NEED GOOD NICE COMMENTS. THERE’S NO MEAN BAD COMMENTS BECAUSE I WILL REMOVE THEM AND TRY BE NICE TO MY CHANNEL IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS I’LL REPLY BACK TO YOU OR NOT BECAUSE I’M PLAYING WITH CHEAT CODES AND DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO. THIS IS MY CHANNEL. (Written by Junuh on a video game headline he hosted.)
2016 JANUARY, WEDNESDAY: TODAY JUNUH Erickson goes to see a mental health counselor. Junuh is a tall thin long-legged computer geek who has high functioning Autism. He’s had a hard time of it after starting classes in September. He goes to Advance School, a secondary two-year special education program. The school hasn’t been operating long. It preps and teaches young people with learning problems or disabilities to get ready for a job. Junuh has not graduated. In a few months, he’ll be 21. [Approximately, one in sixty-eight children is diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD.) It’s discovered by recognizing like-symptoms in areas of: social issues, communication, repetitive behavior quirks, and cognitive delays.]
Advance School, a two-classroom annex, faces the street, east of the football field behind Junuh’s former high school. The location has led to problems for Junuh, bringing punishment for inappropriate behavior. He hasn’t been able to understand these changes easily. Advance School started for Junuh, September 2014. He was happy in the high school special ed environment. Therefore, he misses certain friends, female aides, and gentle teachers on the other side of the fence. At the mental health counselor’s office, Junuh spends a short time with the man. Then, the counselor asks Sarah, “Can we talk in my office?”
“Oh, sure. Junuh, wait here. I’ll just be a couple of minutes.”
She shuts the counselor’s door, “How’d it go with Junuh?”
“Your son said there’s nothing wrong and he has nothing to say.”
“Oh, dear. That doesn’t surprise me. Is there something you can do?”
“Ma’am, if he doesn’t have a problem and doesn’t want to talk, there’s nothing I can do. He has to want to work with me.”
“I had to try this for the school. I don’t know what to do.”
“Don’t worry,” he assures her, “It’ll work itself out in time.”
Sarah’s a bit bewildered, as always, about Junuh’s situation, but it’s his life. If he has nothing to say to a stranger, she’ll protect that right. It was clear, back in October of 2015, when she took him to the doctor to have his meds upped, (two additional at bedtime for anger), things were different. The teachers expected too much. She understands Junuh’s behavior but reports from the school show he obviously needs extra attention and structured support, more than what he gets. He does the best he can. It’s just his way to blot out chaos. Now he wears headphones. Then, if he wants to walk twelve miles home after being pushed around at school, he’ll do it having calluses to prove it. Luckily, the incident only happens twice, one being just half that far.
When Junuh gets home after seeing the mental health counselor, he writes an introduction for a Nintendo gaming video he’ll be making. Junuh is a “Talking Guy” now, (a term he devised.) He’s been listening to various “Talking Guys” on YouTube since he was small. His Mom, Sarah Erickson, promises his teacher Mr. Edman and the principal Mrs. Puthoff, by letter, that she’ll take Junuh to a professional counselor. They asked if she would. She isn’t sure why. It must have something to do with Junuh’s unorthodox manners like running downtown to see a girl in the middle of a school day. He has anger issues, seems rebellious, and needs assistance with schoolwork.
Before the doctor appointment occurs, Sarah writes to Mrs. Puthoff the principal: “I really think Junuh should be talked to often by a school counselor for reinforcement. There must be someone in the system who can take time to talk with him. It may help. He doesn’t have male reinforcement here. I’m the maid he tells to shut up. He says, ‘I’m done talking.’ I’ve scheduled an appointment for Junuh on the 13th to get his meds upped. It’s probably time as these meds are weak. I’m sorry for the problems with him. Unfortunately, he’s been watching ‘Angry Grandpa’ on YouTube, who teaches people the good things about getting angry, (with lots of dysfunctional interaction.) While I have a weak conversation relationship with Junuh, he tells his computer everything. He talks about feelings over girls, how he hates schoolie, or what he’s gonna do. He’s very descriptive saying things he’d never say to me. While this shows the importance of having a computer, it also gives me an opportunity to listen. At any rate, Junuh has jumped into the bus ritual. I’m sure he’ll become more independent.” Sincerely.
2016 June, Tuesday: Junuh is 21. It’s graduation day at Advance School. The students are applauded for paying jobs they’ve had or accomplishments achieved at school in volunteer work. In Junuh’s case, the speaker is Mr. Bibbee, one of the two teachers at Advance School. He talks not about Junuh’s job all year at the School Administration building where he helped with office activities. Rather, he talks of Junuh’s prowess in Nintendo gaming and his two tattoos. The crowd cheers and everyone claps. But Sarah is uncomfortable about Bibbee’s comments, embarrassed by the way he pointedly acts. Being a lead teacher at Advance School, Mr. Bibbee gets into Junuh’s world even though he’s been told to stay out of it. Sarah pulls Junuh from his class a couple months after the start of 2014. Mr. Bibbee is good at brainwashing students to believe there are paying jobs for them, to believe in assumptions. He can’t help mentioning Junuh’s tattoos and gaming. These are the positive influences in Junuh’s life, things he believes in, icons of power that makes brainwashing a success. Junuh loves Mario and a few other icons. Everyone knows that. One day, Sarah sees Junuh looking. She asks, “What are you searching for?” She hears drawers slamming.
He asks, “Where’s the cord?”
“It’s still here.” She pulls a yellow bag from the buffet.
He sees it, “Oh, a different bag. You tricked me.”
She says, “Well, it’s still yellow. It’s just a better bag.”
Junuh rolls his eyes, “Don’t change it.”
He turns to eat his snack, “I’m done talking. Go away.”
2017 September: Junuh, (Master Junuh), has been a
“Talking Guy” for over a year with a channel site on YouTube. He has more time on his hands since school let out. Since his time ran out for free job training, (in January), he’s devoted his days to computer interaction with Facebook and gaming. Sarah gives up after the third job training organization, Skilskin. Sandy the job counselor says she’s worked for Skilskin thirty-five years. Her accomplishment? She’s driven Junuh to every Game World in town. Skilskin assists poor and disabled in training, classes for clients, parents and certification, job coaching, payee and money handling, and more. Junuh has been listening to “Talking Guys” on YouTube for years. He loves their expressions, casual teaching of games, and their company. He especially loves their screaming and swearing. All he has to do is figure out YouTube’s program to set himself up as a “Talking Guy.” When school lets out for good, he does just that. It’s only computer lingo and loose ends Sarah helps with. For other computer advice, Junuh contacts Rodney the Caregiver by telephone or Facebook. He says, “I’ll use my electric shaver every tomorrow.”
“What was that Junuh?” Mom asks. Oh, it must be that she explained he doesn’t need shaving cream unless he has a straight edge. Junuh’s life in the working field hasn’t taken off. He’s been on a Nintendo gaming machine like Game Cube or a computer for most of his life. Ironically, his mother’s prayers brought a kind computer geek to him, a caregiver who started working with him when he was twelve. With professional training from Rodney the Caregiver, Junuh becomes computer savvy. Thank heavens for the kindness of caregivers like Rodney. He remains Junuh’s mentor and friend. Caregivers use persistence and patience to be rewarded when a client thrives.
Junuh’s fetishes and quirks, (like saying yay a ya repeatedly), mess with his and Sarah’s lives. He hates company, refuses to wear jeans, button up T-shirts, undershirts or plain sweatshirts, sweaters, coats, underwear, and most socks. (Finally, he finds Walmart’s soft boot socks after Mom spends $300 on various socks, one Christmas.) He cuts tags off, prefers slip on shoes, and always uses a rag for urination clean-up until Sarah buys wipes. Problems: Junuh hates Sarah’s records, singing, guitar, whistling, and car radio. He spends a lot of time turning off radio and TV, and especially hates dishes clattering. If Sarah lets words drop in Spanish, he says, “Only talk USA English.” And he can’t be counted on to go to functions, like bowling or swimming at a club, very long.
