Me & Barry White At The Gas Station

Those of us on the autism spectrum have to deal with severe anxiety attacks, or "meltdowns" as they are commonly known. Meltdowns can be brought on by sensory overload, where information is coming in too fast for us to process it.

I have to laugh about meltdowns. I don't know how I'd get through the Mad Tea Party of life without laughter. So, for your amusement, here's my latest meltdown: 

I pulled into a gas station that I've avoided for years due to the circus-like
atmosphere of the place. You know the scene: they sell gasoline, assorted
grease-bomb foods, have about a million gas pumps, bright lights, flashing
signs, loud music, etc.

I was working and my mind was elsewhere. I needed gasoline. I stopped there
without really thinking about it.

I got out of the car and noticed that the ultra-deep voice of Barry White was
blaring out of the overhead sound system. There was lots of other noise around
me, but at this point I was still doing a fairly good job of tuning it out. Those of us with Asperger's Syndrome/High Functioning Autism have to learn how to tune things out when we are in public places.

I selected a payment method and started to pump the gas. I had failed to notice
that this particular company had installed TV screens into each gas pump at eye
level. They were not on before I pumped the gas. I'm an Aspie; I can miss things
right in front of my nose.

Suddenly, to my horror, the TV screen lit up 2 feet away from my face, and
people on the screen started shouting at me about how I could "BUY 2 CHICKEN STRIPS AND A ROLL FOR $1.99! YOU KNOW YOU'RE HUNGRY!!!"

Now understand, I've got serious issues with TV. One of my hobbies is shutting
off televisions in public places whenever I can get away with it.

When the first commercial ended, someone from a local TV station started shouting onscreen about the weather report. I mean, this thing was LOUD. Then someone else onscreen started shouting about selling me life insurance. And on and on.

I then noticed that all the other gas pumps around me were playing the same
shouting tape loop....but they all started at different times, so it came out as
a veritable Tower of Babel of nutballs all braying at once, but all saying something different, all at the same time.

And over it all....Barry White was still thundering out of the overhead sound
system: "Yeah baby, we got it goin' on, don't we baby? Oh baby etc.etc.etc."

I could feel a first-class panic attack coming on, but man, I needed gasoline,
you know? I was silently telling myself: keep it together keep it together keep
it together, but I wanted to throw up my arms and run screaming down the road. 

Mercifully, the gas tank was finally full. I jumped back into my car with the
windows rolled up, locked the doors, and sat back and whispered:
"Oh....my.....Gawd." (I said a few other choice words as well, but they're rated
R, so I'll let 'em go.)

I drove out and headed back to the office, talking to myself all the way back. It took me about half an hour to calm down.

I will NEVER go back to that station. They should change the name to "Neurotypical Gas and Grease."

Peace & Blessings,

Paul