39

"They say autism is a spectrum … a rainbow because we are the gold treasure hiding under all the pretty colours!"

Penny was swinging his feet as he stared out over the field, this Rocky spot was a good one and he was glad Ton shared.

"So … Poppy and Dadda were talking. They said I have autism" Penny said softly as he stroked the rock, "I don't know what that means but Poppy said it was fine, that it just means I am special."

"They say autism is a spectrum … a rainbow because we are the gold treasure hiding under all the pretty colours!" Ton said from behind him, looking at the other side of the field, "Rainbows are all colours, like us. All different, all brave and strong and so lovely that sometimes Tadda sez we make him want to cry with joy at seeing us shine."

"Really?" Penny canted his head "So … I'm not stupid?"

"No, there is no such thing" Ton snorted "Taddy explained that too. People are all different, their brains are all different and some people know different stuff but not all the same. Like books in different languages. We don't all speak one language, if I had to talk to a German man I would sound stupid coz I don't speak German."

"Imp does"

"Imp is clever, he got Tadda's clever bits" Ton agreed, "But we are rainbows so he can be a star like Walt if he wants to … we get to be in the sunshine with Tadda."

"So … clever people have it too?"

"Yeah. Albert Einstein was on the rainbow. And lots of others … Winston Churchill, he was the Prime Minister ya know. He knows all about the Black Dog Tadda sees in the corner of his eye sometimes. Tadda is clever but still has brain problems. Everyone does."

"I'm on a rainbow" Penny repeated softly as he flopped back, "I like that. Babs likes Rainbows too."

"All the best people are in rainbows, Tadda sez so and when we die we walk over a rainbow bridge to the Valhalla place"

"Wow."

"Yeah. Pretty cool, we are together. We will always be together in the colours of the sunshine"

Penny rolled to hug his best friend, glad they had found one another.

At the end of the rainbow where all the best things hide.