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.