That post I negelected to write last night

And I'm taking the loser's way out and using an article I found on one of my forums (courtesy of the lovely Evergrey) as subject matter.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7961208.stm

Thai 'Spider-Man' to the rescue

The child was persuaded off the ledge by his favourite superhero

An unusual disguise has helped a Bangkok fireman rescue an eight-year-old boy who had climbed on to a third-floor window ledge, Thai police say.

The firefighter dressed up as the comic book superhero Spider-Man in order to coax the boy, who is autistic, from his dangerous perch.

Police said teachers had alerted the fire station after the boy began crying and climbed out of a classroom window.

It was reportedly his first day at the special needs school.

Efforts by the teachers to persuade the pupil to come back inside had failed.

But a remark by his mother about his passion for comic superheroes prompted fireman Somchai Yoosabai to rush back to the station, where he kept a Spider-Man costume in his locker.

The sight of Mr Somchai dressed as Spider-Man and holding a glass of juice for him, brought a big smile to the boy's face, and he promptly threw himself into the arms of his "superhero", police said.

Mr Somchai normally uses the costume to liven up fire drills in schools.

Now, adorable ending, and what a cool fireman to get a costume on to save this kid. The fact that he keeps one in his firestation locker makes me wonder how many men really are like my husband though! What's with the grown men and comic hero thing?

Oh well, not my point. My question is, if this kid is in a special needs school, how on earth did he get a window open and climb out without anyone seeing him? Jaymes is fast, but if he tried that at school, they'd catch him before his fingers touched the windowsill. Sounds like this kid was either alone, or just being totally and completely ignored, to have been able to climb out the window and out of reach before teachers could stop him. I know it's another country, but I would think that in any language or culture, the idea of not leaving an autistic child alone to climb onto a window ledge would be an obvious one.

I guess I'm just glad the kid didn't end up splatted on the pavement, and that he was rescued safely, rather than grabbed and handcuffed or knocked around, as so many autistic people are during a crisis situation.