Photographer captures 'Leelo's Day'

By N. N., STAFF WRITER

DEADWOOD CITY - A DOZEN photos of an autumn day in the life of Leelo Rosenberg, a 3-year-old with a stubborn cowlick, fascinated with toy trains and fussy about his food, hang at the The Cafe this month.

Parents waiting for their steaming beverages smile knowingly at the black-and-white scenes of playground and preschool life -- until they read photographer JM's note revealing that the star of "Leelo's Day" has autism.

"I see a little boy learning to connect with a world that isn't quite built for him," JM said of the exhibit. "That he does such hard work with so much obvious delight is truly inspiring to me."

Specialists diagnosed Leelo just before the photos were taken in October, after a teacher noticed signs of delayed language and social skills.

"She pulled me aside and suggested we have him evaluated," said Squid Rosenberg, Leelo's mother. "You don't want to believe it."

"None of us believed it," chimed in Badger Hemulen, mother of one of Leelo's classmates [or rather, friends, since Leelo doesn't go to school]. "Their behavior was so similar at first, but it's diverged over time."

Thanks to daily seven-hour behavioral and speech therapy sessions for the past year, the Rosenberg family's "Captain Destructo" has shown remarkable signs of progress. His 50-word vocabulary has quadrupled, and he responds to dozens of commands such as "Touch your nose" and "Say 'hi.'" This fall, he will return to preschool, shadowed by a therapist.

Cuddling in her lap, grinning and compulsively tugging at the skin around her elbow, Leelo demonstrated his ability to ask for bits of croissant and gleefully obliged coffeehouse owner Rob Raldwin's request to "Give me five."

"Our goal would be to have him go to regular kindergarten," Rosenberg said. "Our ultimate goal would be to have him labeled as recovered."

The Rosenbergs asked JM to chronicle Leelo's day -- from 7 a.m. arising to 8:30 p.m. bedtime -- based on their satisfaction with the "Daybook" he created of their 5-year-old daughter, Isobel. They also hope to show viewers that children like Leelo can still experience simple childhood pleasures, such as watching cartoons and playing on swings.

JM's favorite photo in the exhibit, taken of Leelo intently riding a rocking horse while other children jump and spin around him, illustrates this theme -- but, when scrutinized carefully, also shows that Leelo's day is not quite the same as that of the other children.

"It's very interesting to watch him interact with other kids, because there's a separation there; the interaction happens almost on a subconscious level," JM said.

Rosenberg's third child is due in December, and she's hoping a strict health regimen and watchful eye will help lower the one-in-20 chance he or she will also develop autism.

"I'm following every single superstition," [I did not fucking say that--I said PRECAUTION] she said, fingering the gold Turkish protective charm she wears around her neck. "I'm not even getting my nails painted."

The exhibit will hang at The Cafe, at 150 Elm St., until the end of the month. For more information about JM's photographs, visit his Web site at www.chatterbox.com

Staff writer N. N. covers Deadwood City, East Paly Alty, Featherton and Melon Park.