Micki is a caregiver for people in that general group (no Downs
Syndrome in the group home right now) and she treats them like family.
They are wonderfull people. So is Micki. They love Bear and our cats,
but mostly Bear.

Will in New Haven

--

"I am thus far a Quaker, that I would gladly argue with all the world
to lay aside the use of arms and settle matters by negotiation, but
unless the whole will, the matter ends, and I take up my musket and
thank Heaven He has put it in my power."
-Writings of Thomas Paine 56 (M. Conway ed. 1894)

very sweet, Lee

TuTu sez yyu sssshd by hjim a mice creem cone.  MLB

Nope. it doesn't get better than that.  Some times I find myself
wondering why so called normal people can't be as sweet as those with
down's syndrome.

Pam S.

What a nice story!!

I have known several 'special people'.

They know they are 'different'. I think that must be the hardest part.

The main thing all the ones I have known is that they want you to like
them, and be friends with them.

There was a custodian where I work for many years. I used to see him
buying cans of Coca-Cola from the vending machine (which is expensive).

I asked him why he didn't buy it in the grocery store; on sale, 24 packs
cost about 1/3 the price in the vending machine.

Turns out, he just couldn't manage a case of Coke with his other
groceries, on the bus. He had to walk 6 or 8 blocks home from the bus
stop, too.

So for several years, I would buy him cases of Coca-Cola, and bring them
to work for him.

One year I gave him a Walkman type radio for Christmas. And a recharger,
and some rechargeable batteries, so he wouldn't have to buy batteries.
He was never without it, from then on.

He was a very nice man, and worked really hard.

One day, he was gone, and I asked his supervisor. His family had moved
him to a another city, after he had lived in the same one, all of his
life. It must have been really hard on him. And he didn't say anything
to me; I think he must have been really upset :-(

I've found in the past that people with Downs Syndrome are incredibly
strong, once when I still smoked a Downs lad that I knew asked for a
cigarette which I gave him, about 15 minutes later he came back with an
uprooted bush in his hand and said "I bought you a flower", it was ver hard
not to laugh.

We have a group of handicapped adults come in to "socialize" (read:
pet and play with)...the kittens
and puppies at the shelter. It's a job to them, and they take their
job very seriously. My experience
with handicapped adults was very limited until I met them. And I never
met a group of more gentle-
spirited people in my life.

Sherry