Our Pineapple, Bob
The pineapple is our family symbol. It started because Benedict just really liked how the word sounded. He thought it was funny that it was two words put together to name something completely different from either word. Pineapple became a safety net. If someone asked him a question that he didn't understand he would say, "pineapple". If he felt shy and someone spoke to him he would respond, "pineapple".
Eventually a cheer was developed to celebrate exciting times. "Pineapple, pineapple, pineapple, wooo!" became our exclamation. My husband's band students would use it to pump themselves up before competitions. It became a battle cry and an expression of pride.
Now almost 9, Benedict still loves pineapple. His godfather lives in Hawaii and passes the Dole Plantation regularly. Benedict loves to get pineapple souvenirs from him. He has a Dole pineapple shirt and a stuffed pineapple. There are many pineapple symbols found around our house.
When it was time to choose a "team name" for our second year of participation in the "Mike's Seafood Polar Bear Run/Walk for Autism", Benedict's choice was obvious. So we set out, team Pineapple. Benedict's grandmother had purchased a fresh pineapple to be the centerpiece for dinner the day of the walk and on a whim, we decided to take it with us that morning. Benedict's sisters would carry the pineapple and cheer him on during the walk. Benedict decided to name the pineapple, "Bob". So a mascot was born!
We got there early because we wanted to be able to relax and enjoy the whole day. Our first year we were overwhelmed with the activities and the crowd. Now we were experienced. We were the first walkers to pick up our numbers and the tables weren't even all set up. We might have been a little extra eager.
To pass the time, we had breakfast and walked around the area where the event would start. We had Bob the pineapple with us and decided to take some pictures to commemorate the day. Bob the pineapple was with us all day and joined Benedict in almost every picture.
Watching him smile and carry a pineapple got me thinking about how silly and quirky Benedict could be. It also made me realize how brave he is. He knows that he's different from most kids his age. He tries so hard every day to figure out how to fit in and be like everybody else. He struggles to understand them and to get them to understand him. But every now and then he is just himself - not caring what people think and carrying a pineapple.
Of course people asked me about the pineapple. Who wouldn't? I had thought about that pineapple all morning as my son carried it around and his sister's posed with it and found new ways to stage it. And what I realized is that a pineapple is a great metaphor for people with autism.
Just like a pineapple, a person with autism can be prickly on the outside. They can be difficult to handle and it may be hard to figure out how to get through that exterior. On the inside, they can be sweet with a heart of gold.
So the pineapple will continue to be our symbol and our mascot. We will carry a silly fruit and exclaim, "pineapple, pineapple, pineapple, wooo!" And we will continue to work, not just for autism awareness, but for tolerance and acceptance.
The Belskis Family
