Rachel Kettles

My brother is a tall, handsome man. When we’re out, sometimes people stare because of his posture or expression. It’s natural curiosity, but he sees it and is sensitive to it. I think he just wants to be treated like everyone else.

He has uncanny drumming talent, and niche knowledge of aircraft that could hold his own on Mastermind. He has a cracking sense of humour, and knows a pretty lady when he sees one.

He has become quieter since becoming a young adult, and gets frustrated easily. I have to look for subjects that motivate him to talk. Sometimes I imagine him speaking like my other siblings do: freely, making fun of me, saying what he feels, correcting me if I interpret him wrongly, heart to heart. Sometimes I see boys his age, larking about, doing what they want, and wish he was like them. Not for us, but for autonomy for him.

One of my fears is that his quality of life is lower, because he doesn’t articulate what he wants, or we assume he doesn’t mean what he says, or we don’t know how to make it happen. I want to focus on this more for him.