One Caramel Macchiato with a slice of Cheap Thrill, to go!
If you are a seasoned reader who diligently follows my adventures, you would surely know about my ongoing war against social anxiety- a war that even a certain global leader with a ‘penchant for putting and end to wars by dangling the threat of tariffs’ cannot claim to have brought to an end, for Project Social Butterfly is one epic proportions!
The past week started off pretty much like any other week- a Monday morning trip to a popular cafe in the friendly neighbourhood mall to have ‘coffee and conversation’ with my therapist. What’s so challenging about conversations over coffee, you might wonder. For me, the person for whom spaces are too bright, too noisy and just too much of everything, coffee and conversation in a public place, sure as certain is overwhelming.
As planned, I walked into the cafe at sharp 11:15 AM and headed towards my favourite table- the one overlooking the centre of the mall, where different pop-up shops keep popping up every now and then,
when I chanced upon two middle aged men have a conversation in the neighbouring table. They were speaking in Kannada- a language that I happen to follow rather well, and upon seeing me, one of them exclaimed that my face looked familiar, while the other one helpfully reminded that I was one of the fifteen Deccan Herald Changemakers.
Now, here’s the thing about me- being recognised for my work and it’s impact sends me soaring to seventh heaven, while being recognised by strangers in a public space sends me into throes of anxiety. It’s kind of like what those rare film stars who don’t head to the airport just to get photographed feel when they are out and about, minding their business, and are recognised by random strangers ! Nevertheless, I reminded myself that this came as an integral part of being an ‘influential’ person, and bravely plonked into my seat. If you know me and are aware of the intense social anxiety that has chosen to call my head it’s home, you will agree when I say that in consciously choosing not to flee, but to sit, I had achieved a little victory!
Anyway, I settled into my usual space and began to have a conversation. The plan for the day was to summon a barista using Avaz, ask for the menu, choose a coffee, and place the order using Avaz. We looked around and saw more people trickle into the cafe, and that, combined with the loud background music playing in the mall, drowned out what the iPad was speaking. So my therapist went upto the Barista’s counter and briefly explained what we were trying to do, and requested one of the two baristas to come to our table. Both of them gave her incredulous looks.
Clearly, they had not even heard of, let alone witnessed, anyone using a device to talk! They looked towards me- the ‘normal looking’ girl wearing headphones and typing on the iPad, both of which are par the course at cafes in Bangalore, and got doubly confused. Was this some new sort of scam doing rounds, or were we cooking up stories to make them do some out of scope work like taking order on the table ? Whatever it was, they wanted to have nothing to do with it, and told us that they are permitted to only bill at the counter.
Sure enough, my disgruntled therapist came back to the table, menu in tow. I glanced through the menu and decided upon my order. I typed my order out on Avaz, on the iPad and walked up to the barista’s counter and played it. The barista looked at me, wide eyed! I truly needed the iPad to talk, and she wasn’t being lured into the scam of the century !
‘Can I warm up the brownie?’, she asked
‘Yes please’, I replied using my iPad
As I sat savouring my brownie, I thought about the adventures that being an outlier routinely brings my way – be that recognition or incredulous reactions. Whatever the reaction, it reinforces my
philosophy- which is also stuck on my iPad jacket- ‘Break the stigma, not your spirit!’
Avaz Megaphone is a platform for neurodivergent individuals to express themselves through the written word. We accept opinion pieces, short stories and poetry. Authors of accepted works will receive an honorarium. To make a submission please email us on: collaborate@avazapp.com
WRITTEN BY
Aditi Sowmyanarayan
Student & Writer
Aditi Sowmyanarayan is a nineteen year old who uses Avaz, a text to speech app, to communicate. She goes to Ishanya India Foundation, a special school in Bengaluru. Aditi is an avid blogger and an aspiring writer. She blogs on www.smallstepbigthought.blogspot.com
She can be reached on Instagram at writeaditi and on her Facebook page : small step big thought
