I used to work in a shop and one of my regular customers was a man in his 50s who had the mental age of about 8. He couldn't read or write, but was completely capable of pottering around town etc and loved talking to people. He'd always chat about superheroes or whatever was on TV, various stuff. One day I was serving him and there was a pretty big queue and once he left, the next lady in line joked "Is he allowed out?" I was feeling pretty offended as he was a brilliant customer and usually brightened my day and I had never seen this woman in my life. My colleague responded "actually he's my uncle, and yes, he is allowed out".

Woman turned beetroot, didn't say another word and was out of the shop pretty quickly. I hadn't actually realised I worked with his niece until that point.

Another bad point about this man was that he naturally got on with kids as he had the same interests in them. Adults would often infer there was something sinister going on even though he was completely harmless. In fact, generally the kids were more harm to him - he once got in trouble with the police for buying cigarettes for teenagers.

Maybe I put too much faith in people, but it really blows my mind when I hear stories like this or come across people who are so hateful and ignorant. It's one thing to think these shitty thoughts and opinions, but to actually express them in public and expect other people to agree with you? What the fuck?

In the case of this lady, like what was she thinking when she said that? Was she TRYING to make the kid and his mother feel ashamed? Was she thinking that the mother would suddenly realize the error of her ways and lock her kid in the basement, where he belongs? I just can't understand how you could walk onto someone's property, make disparaging remarks about them and their family and feel like that's okay.

Like I don't know if you got the memo but people with disabilities exist, lead fulfilling lives and deserve to be treated as the human beings that they are. Next time I hear someone spouting some ignorant shit like that I'm gonna go off.

I would have been FURIOUS and I really don't know what I'd have done. I may have actually punched the bitch. I hate hearing stories like this and I hate how horrible people can be to each other.

Unfortunately, I have seen and heard stuff like this before :( It is so, so sad. I can't get over the fact that some people think they are worth more than others, based on...well, nothing, really.

I'm not an aggressive person at all, and to be honest I don't have the physique to actually hurt someone (when I practiced the heimlich on a classmate she told me it tickled. When she tried it on me I nearly threw up and thought I had broken a few ribs :P) but when I hear stuff like this...Believe me, I have bitch-slapped this woman a few times in my mind. It would be wonderful if we could treat these awful people the way they treat others. Even if it's just for a day. Or be able to record what they did, and show it back to them. Maybe that would shut them up.

Wow. So this woman basically walked onto this family's property, and then said that the son shouldn't be there? That is ridiculous. If I was the mom I would have told her to get the hell off my property.

I think I want to be your friend... I totally understand!! My nephew has autism. He is thirteen as of this spring and is 5'11. Big kid. People expect him to act older because he is so big, and he climbs on things and makes random noises etc. When he visits me I do quietly and kindly let him know if his behavior isn't appropriate. I also try to encourage all of his amazing talents and when he is behaving. He doesn't even know he is making wierd noises lol Poor fella. He is like "oh! sorry!" Absolute sweetie. I get looks and glances. I am not even his parent but of course when he is with me I am the one that gets the looks like "control your kid" I don't let his disability change the fact he needs guidance. I am strict but kind. I really feel for my sister. People can be absolute jerks. I try to remember that all people have struggles they are dealing with, maybe that lady had a horrible day and took it out right then. Sounds like to me she has a warped way of thinking though. I have been so shocked by something someone did that I didn't react immediately. I can totally understand your anger. I would have been SO pissed too.

I commend you for your point of view and kindness. We need more earth angels like you <3

my son has Asperger's and ADHD,and had some people acted like real shit towards either me or my son because they can't be bothered with compassion and understanding.I've had this stupid bitch that I thought was a friend, turn on me because some the children at her son's birthday started attacking him.They had alcohol served at the party,so the kids were acting very vicious and ugly because they knew they could get away with it.I only had only one drink, while some of them were drinking beer and fuzzy navals like it was going out of style.

Some of the kids were making insults,while like this one girl was trying to scratch at my son.Instead of this snotty bitch disciplining her brat,she was okaying it and telling she will attack when she felt she was being threatened.So my son should be scratched up because he looks at her funny?She really is stupid, because this is exactly how bullying starts.And instead of this friend telling the other parents to control their kids,she had the nerve to tell me my son was spoiled.This, despite the fact I was the only one there keeping him from getting into trouble.And some kids were older, so they should've known better.

Needless to say, I don't have any dealings with her anymore.The last time I saw her in my son's school in 2003,she acted like she had a stick up her ass and her bratty daughter made some snide remarks about us to some relative.I wish that if she had been an adult that I could have slapped her,because what she said.But I don't have any dealings with her.

And I also had some teachers and school staff that were very ugly towards my son as well.His first kindergarten teacher never had anything nice to say about him,and was at times just letting him sleep at times when was supposed to go to recess or music.She was always nitpicking and complaining over every little thing.When he had to repeat kindergarten a second time,the new teacher never had anything negative to say about him at all.She worked with him better,unlike that old bat.They said she had transferred to this private school in town,but I think she was actually pushed out because did the same thing to other kids and their parents.

It was even worse though in the last elementary school he was in 4th grade.Both the last teacher and the school staff pulled some real hateful stuff on him that last year,all because he was diagnosed with Asperger's.He even got both blamed and in trouble over what these little devils did in class,while they got a slap on the wrist.They did the same shit to my friend's son 5 years later,because he had ADHD.

I guess these people think that none of their family members or close friends could ever have any children born with these disorders.If they do,then they wouldn't tolerate those people acting ugly and snotty towards them at all.

I don't know if I would have been able to hold myself back from punching that woman in the face...or at least telling her off.

It's awful that people still do that, even though it shouldn't be frowned upon. It's nice that you were so kind to the boy, even though that lady was so vile.

Edit: Next time, punch her.