The Misfits: Told by A Behavior Analyst

By Brandon Clark

Brandon Clark, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, discovered his professional purpose during a journey down the road less traveled: rehabilitation of children with behavior disorders. Clark artfully tackles the problems faced by children with special needs, highlighting the uphill battles these individuals face with America's education syst

• Language: English
• Publisher: Progressive Behavior Consulting LLC
• Release date: Apr 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9780692854389

Brandon Clark

Brandon Clark is a board certified behavior analyst. Clark has spent years working with children and adults with special needs. He currently owns and operates Progressive Behavior Consulting LLC, out of Bluffton, South Carolina. He is a member of the Human Rights Committee in Beaufort South Carolina, and serves on the advisory board for Lowcountry Autism Foundation.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Breakfast Blues

A clamorous shrieking sound similar to squeaky car brakes was triggered as the bus doors grudgingly peeled open. An odious, resentful stench emanated from within, as if a crack had formed in the earth and the world’s best kept acrid smell was being released. The bus driver was impatiently glaring down at me from her position in the driver’s seat, the height of which supported her air of superiority. Her hair was black and frizzy, she sported a plain white T-shirt with holes, and she was overweight to the extent that, upon taking the driver’s seat, the steering wheel became cushioned onto her stomach, effectively lodging her in place.

A thick, southern accent pierced the air. Best hurry up and get these kids of the bus now you hear? she said, as she discharged her latest swell of tobacco spit into her cup. Now I knew what was contributing to the stench on the bus. I flirted with the idea of a sycophantic bow. At your service, my liege, I began to say, but then, remembering my manners, I replied, You’re a little early, we don’t usually unload for another five minutes.

Ya’ll complain ’bout me being late, then you stand here and complain about’s me being early. Which one you want? Choose. Deputy Richards trailed closely behind me, laughing at my misfortune.

Well, I wasn’t exactly complaining, more or less stating a fact. Go ahead and send them out, I say. The grumpy driver waved her hands signaling for the kids to depart the bus, and began mumbling something under her breath, likely taking issue with me for something I had no control over. I never understood how we got off on the wrong foot, given the 60 seconds a day we had to interact, but she tended to dislike everyone, so I didn’t take it