EXPERIENCE AT APSN

last saturday, i was at association for persons with special needs (APSN). organised by YMCA, this was my first outing with the school. anyway, when i reached the supposedly meeting place, i was "greeted" by a very awkward situation. most of the other volunteers (about 20) seemed to know each other. besides using the same opening line, "how have you been since the last YMCA activity?", most were wearing the same acjc t-shirt.

fortunately, things got better. upon reaching APSN, we were briefed on the do's and don'ts, and soon, i was assigned to befriend a guy named X. X is 22. he looked and dressed normally. a graduate of APSN, he holds a part-time job at mcdonald's (oh yes, he bemoans alot about being underpaid there. haha). he is exceedingly sociable and always in smiles. in many ways, he is alike to you and me. that said, after awhile, one could feel that X is special, albeit in a way that needs help.

the people at APSN are all special in their own way. regarding X, i say he is very animated and gets overly excited easily. he was telling me about getting his pastry cert and that with it, he could get employed at most places easily. next he told me about his baking experience and the exact steps to baking a cake. he gestured how he whisked the eggs, rolled the dough, the amount of flour, timer on the oven, all in a clear, fluid and systematic order, like the sergeant major barking orders to the recruit. clearly, X is not stupid. another volunteer asked if he knew how to dance and he started to perform the next moment. we were in a bus, so he was restricted to hand movements. overall, i was quite apprehensive (cautious), "what if i ask something that i wasn't supposed to ask?" many a times, i really did not know how to continue our conversation. as such, i adopted the just-smile-and-praise method. though short (8.30-12.30), i genuinely enjoyed my time with the APSN group. they are, unpretentious.

the irony of the whole extending my hand to the less fortunate (i have now worked with abandoned animals, elderly, kindergarten kids, special needs people) is that my relationship with my dad is as strained, if not, more strained than before. ironic isn't it? the son goes out bridging relations, extending a helping hand, being sensitive to the needy, but his relationship with his father is adverse. i do not know how/what to do.