Let’s get this out of the way now: Matt is a funny kid. In no way has he let his autism hold him back in any way and put a damper on his sense of humor or overall wittiness.
Be it a joke or a prank or other humorous antic, there should be little doubt that he’s just an all around happy little guy.
That being said, the boy needs a lot – and I mean a lot – of work on his material and delivery. His jokes are often made up and just not very funny. Bad, actually.
And there are times I wonder if he even knows what a prank even is; never mind how to execute one properly. Still, he doesn’t let that stop him.
He’ll tell that bad joke and if you don’t laugh, he damn well will.
The Prank Call
The other night I heard young Matt ask my wife if he could use her cellphone. He said that he wanted to prank call daddy. Nevertheless, being curious as to where he was going with it, she obliged.
The following is a transcript of the ensuing call…
Me: Hello?
Matt (in the tune of Lionel Richie’s “Hello”): Hello?
Me: Hey Matt. How ar…
Matt (interrupting): Is it me you’re looking for? I can see it in your eyes. I see it in your smile… (inaudible lyrics) And I wonder where you are. (inaudible lyrics) … Are you somewhere feeling lonely… (inaudible lyrics)
(Hang up)
Needless to say, both the wife and I were in frickin’ tears.
Nine year old boys in 2017 aren’t supposed to know soft rock songs released in 1983. Surprisingly, too, he actually carried the notes and tune quite well.
As he stood there holding the phone watching us both laughing hysterically, he smiled, pointed and announced “I pranked you!”
Yes he did. And while I’m still not thrilled that at the age of nine he’s discovered what it means to prank-call someone, we couldn’t be happier knowing that despite the struggles that kid faces on a daily basis – he refuses to let anything stand in his way of being the happy, funny, kid that he is.
Oh. And if I have to suffer by having a Lionel Richie song stuck in my head, so do you.
