June 12, 2021:
Autistic girl buses tables. "Go fast," she says to herself, repeating her instructions. "Go fast, go fast, go fast."
Throughout the room the conversation is slack, lacking crispness. "There's a new Covid strain, the symptom is pink eye." "There'll be a new strain every six months." The people are paying only vague attention, to each other or to the news.
By contrast the autistic girl is focused with great intensity. "Go fast," she says, going fast. She's determined to do the best possible job.