My cousin Andrew has classical autism, an impairment that affects his social interactions and communication and includes some restrictive or repetitive behaviors. Andrew leads a normal life: he watches television, goes to school, and plays sports with his dad. Because of his social disability it is hard to understand what is going on in Andrew’s mind.

His mother, Mary, is bi-polar and has a hard time keeping a job, so they both live in her parents’ home. When observing their interactions with each other, their relationship seems awkward and less like mother and son. However, they have their own way of communicating, a special language, using hand gestures and inside jokes. This project helps me understand both my cousin and my aunt and how they live their lives together and sometimes alone.