Holly Has Autism

Holly did not communicate with people in a social way. They interested her in almost no capacity, but cows fascinated her. She decorated her room with cows, and she studied all their breeds. This is how her parents learned to communicate with her. Is this a dairy cow? Holly would scoff at their questions. That is a Charolais, she would tell them, using her monotone voice. What color is the Black Angus? She had no tolerance for this. She did not understand teasing or a sense of humor. The oldest recorded cow was forty-eight, right? You know she was, and her name was Big Bertha. When did she die? Sepember 29th, 1993. Holly grew up knowing all kinds of facts about cows. She knew the difference between Belted Galloways and Wisconsin dairy cows. Cows have panoramic vision, she would state matter-of-factly. They can see almost three-hundred-and-sixty-degrees. She invented many machines that aided in milking cows. An improved milking machine with a gentle touch. And she invented a musical score that helped them relax to milk. Her genius was well-known in the Midwest, she knew her cows.