A Kind of Spark

Ms. Murphy and Mr. Patterson meet with Addie’s parents to discuss Addie’s meltdown. Ms. Murphy suggests that the school isn’t the correct environment for Addie, something that her mother (Mum) vociferously contradicts, emphasizing that Addie needs to be immersed in common social environments. At home, Keedie condemns Ms. Murphy and references her own negative experiences in the woman’s class. Mum tries to explain that Ms. Murphy is from a different generation and does not understand how to properly teach children with autism.

Addie’s parents ask Keedie how she is doing at her university classes, and she admits that she is having difficulty dealing with the people there. Her father (Dad) says that the university will open up many opportunities, and Nina makes a rude remark about his job as a supermarket manager. Mum tells Nina to go upstairs and follows her, and the two begin to argue. Keedie, Addie, and Dad sit downstairs, listening to music.

Later, Audrey asks Addie what happened on the school trip. Addie says that the story about the woman condemned as a witch was making her shut down and that she needed to stim (to engage in specific physical movements or vocalizations in order to calm herself).