Joshua Littman, 12, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, formerly referred to as Asperger’s Syndrome.
Josh, who can often come across as eccentric, has an obsession with animals. At StoryCorps they discussed pets, lying, friends, family, and the hardships of life.
Originally aired March 17, 2006, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Sarah Littman (SL) and Joshua Littman (JL)
JL: On a scale of 1 to 10 what do you think your life would be different without animals?
SL: I think it would be about an 8 without animals because they add so much pleasure to life.
JL: How else do you think your life would be different without them?
SL: I could do without things like cockroaches and snakes.
JL: Well I’m okay with snakes as long as they’re not venomous and can constrict you or anything.
SL: Yeah, I’m not a big snake person.
JL: But the cockroach is just the insect we love to hate.
SL: Yeah. It really is.
JL: Have you ever felt like life is hopeless?
SL: When I was a teenager I was very depressed and I think that can be quite common with teenagers who think a lot and you know, that are perceptive.
JL: Am I like that?
SL: You’re very much like that?
JL: Do you have any mortal enemies?
SL: I would say my worst enemy is sometimes myself. But I don’t think I have any mortal enemies.
JL: Have you ever lied to me?
SL: I probably have, but I try not to lie to you even though sometimes the questions you ask make me uncomfortable.
JL: Like when we go on our walks? Some of the questions I might ask?
SL: Yeah, but you know what? I feel it’s really special that you and I can have those kind of talks, even if sometimes I feel myself blushing a little bit.
JL: Have you ever thought you couldn’t cope with having a child?
SL: (Laughs) I remember when you were a baby you had really bad colic and you used to just cry and cry—
JL: What’s colic?
SL: It’s when you get this stomachache and all you can do is scream for like four hours a night—
JL: Even louder than Amy does?
SL: You were pretty loud, but Amy’s was more high pitched.
JL: I think it feels like everyone seems to like Amy more. Like, she’s, like, the perfect little angel.
SL: Well, I can understand why you think that people like Amy more, and I’m not saying it’s because of your Aspergers Syndrome, but being friendly comes easily to Amy, whereas I think for you it’s more difficult. But the people who take the time to get to know you love you so much.
JL: Like Ben or Eric or Carlos?
SL: Yeah…
JL: Like I have better quality friends but less quantity?
SL: I wouldn’t judge the quality, but I think-
JL: I mean like first it was like Amy loved Claudia then she hated Claudia, she loved Claudia then she hated Claudia.
SL: Yeah. . . You know what, part of that’s a girl thing, honey. The important thing for you is that you have a few very good friends, and really that’s what you need in life
JL: Did I turn out to be the son you wanted when I was born? Like, did I meet your expectations, and. . .?
SL: You’ve exceeded my expectations, sweetie. Because, you know, sure, you have these fantasies of what your child’s gonna be like, but you have made me grow so much as a parent because you think –
JL: Well I was the one who made you a parent.
SL: You were the one who made me a parent. That’s a good point. But, also because you think differently from, you know, what they tell you in the parenting books.
JL: Yeah.
SL: I really had to learn to think out of the box with you. And it’s made me much more creative as a parent and as a person, and I’ll always thank you for that.
JL: And that helped when Amy was born?
SL: And that helped with Amy was born, but you are just so incredibly special to me, and I’m so lucky to have you as my son.
In three conversations spanning the course of a decade, Josh Littman and his mother, Sarah Darer Littman, trace his journey into adulthood.
Nearly two decades after Mike Wolmetz proposed to Debora Brakarz at the StoryCorps booth in Grand Central, they returned to share an update about their relationship and parenthood for StoryCorps’ 20th Anniversary.
