Keep On Swimmin'

Prior to meeting our GREAT aunt and uncle for dinner on Saturday, Gabriel informed us that he wanted to domesticate a shark. Since we were headed to the coast to watch a movie and have dinner, we took a big bucket with us. Gabriel knew there was a dock with fishermen on it near the restaurant and he was prepared to get his shark. (what the hell am I going to do with a shark?!!)

We had a nice dinner with lovely company and conversation. The older I get, the more I appreciate time with people who share their lives with us. It is a gift.
Gabriel proceeded to the dock and found a fisherman with a plastic bag full of bait fish. He allowed Gabriel to pick one out, essentially saving the fish's life. Gabriel happily put the fish in this yellow bucket and named him Jake. (somehow this felt better than a shark to me, maybe I can keep a little fish alive?) 

Gabriel excitedly showed his Jake to people who walked near him. He was thrilled.
Then a woman about my age walked past Gabriel and as she gawked at the fish, she told Gabriel that he needed to put the fish back because he was killing the fish. Over and over again, she told my kind-hearted child that he was killing a fish who in fact, he saved. Gabriel looks neurotypical, "normal", if you will, so I can't complain about her ignorance when she first meets my son.
My aunt told her to stop a few times. I don't know if she envisioned a possible massive meltdown but I did. I was impressed that my aunt, who did not raise children in a day and age of autism awareness, was willing to step up and ask this stranger to stop talking about a fish's death.
As the stranger began walking away, I quietly informed her that Gabriel has autism and everything will be okay. She raised her voice and told me not to use autism as an excuse! 

 
Holy hell, I was pissed. I think it's the closest I've come to wanting to punch someone in the throat. Really? The kid SAVED the fish from his death and now you're going to tell me I use autism as an excuse. I wish I had just said, "well, fuck you, you nosy bitch." I didn't. My relatives and children were with me and it wouldn't help someone so ignorant.
These are things we deal with constantly.
This person had no idea how we got to this situation. Gabriel was sad when he learned that our fish named Flower died. He wanted to ease his pain by getting a shark. Instead, he had a fish named Jake in a bucket. Why did this woman think the situation warranted her comments.
It took about an hour but Gabriel decided that he wanted Jake to live a happy life. Jake actually swam away when Gabriel released him. Keep on swimmin' Jake!