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Sunday, April 17, 2011
Odd Aspergers Trait...Laundry, Sensation
As I was doing laundry today...yeah, it can happen...I was reminded of one of the most odd, unusual traits that both my son and I share. I have never seen it written about anywhere.
I am unable to tell if the warm clothes, directly from the dryer, are actually dry. If I am pulling clothes out, I cannot distinguish if they are still wet or completely dry with my fingertips and hands. Usually, I just wait until everything cools down and they I can get a grasp on it.
One of the techniques that I learned to employ was to take an article out of the dryer and hold it to my face or cheek. For some reason, that will usually work.
I don't know how many times I had to demonstrate to Eldest how to do this as it is a rather strange way of doing laundry. I also distinctly remember how...comforting it was, to me, to see that he shared this characteristic as I thought that there was just something seriously wrong with me, in that, I could not perform this simple daily chore.
I continue to remember the look on his face...the puzzled, unsettled look..because he had to ask for help and wasn't at all comfortable to admit that he also, was very challenged.
I am only guessing that the warmth of the clothing somehow overwhelms our fingertips and all their neurotic :)nerve sensors and causes everything to feel the same. Dozens and dozens of times, throughout the years, I find clothing that I thought was completely dry hanging in the closet, only to locate a cool, damp spot when I went to put it on.
The face test...that what I call it. That is how this Aspie can get the laundry done appropriately. This is one of those very weird, odd, little things that I have learned to adapt to.
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i have this as well. i cannot tell if an article of clothing, warm from the dryer, is dry or not. i also use the face test.
ReplyDeleteand here i just thought i was weird.....
Nope, I've never found you to be weird. Very interesting.
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