I got on to a train to come back to Uni, after some small business in the city. It wasn't rush hour so I easily found an empty seat at the front of the compartment. Just a few feet away from me were two middle aged men engaged in conversation, apparently friends who bumped into each other on this very train.
With one of these men were a young lad of about 20 years of age. Despite his healthy appearance one could easily see that something wasn't quite right with him. He had a very distant look in his brown eyes, which betrayed his good looks. He was holding a bottle of Coke and standing near his companion despite the numerous empty seats around him. "Why don't you take a seat?" asked the man to which the boy replied "I'm alright here" in a loud voice, but did sit down next to him even before finishing the sentence.
Then his companion's friend addressed the boy and asked him how he was, to which he replied "alright" and straightaway inquired back
Boy: When's your birthday?
Man: August Xth (didn't quite catch the date)
Boy: Which year??
Man: 1951
Boy: You were born on a Saturday
Man: That's right
The man probably knew about this boy's speciality that he didn't show any surprise..
Boy: Your next birthday is going to be a Thursday
By now, he had gained the attention of the whole compartment. Apart from those who had their ipods stuck in their ears (too bad!!)
The people who were bent over books were peeping over their books, the ones who were just staring out the window were glancing in this direction.....all the while pretending that they are not really looking at him..
Boy: The year after next, it'll be a Tuesday
And with that his distant eyes wandered off to something on the compartment wall....
There was a few seconds of total silence, with only the continous rumble of the train. The man got up to get down at the next station.
Man: You are doing very well boy
Boy: Yeah, I'm going to graduate next year
Man: That's excellent!!
With that, he said his good byes and got off...
The boy kept on staring at something else on the wall which attracted his attention....
Oh!! I'm also supposed to get down here!!!
I grabbed my stuff and got off before the doors could close.
2 comments:
He is autistic, isnt he? That is so sad... The far away look that you mention is apparently a characteristic of those suffering from Autism (dont know whether I spelled that right).. I read this book called, "Three Weeks with my Brother" (btw Sas, read it if you can), and the author describes about his second son, who has this same far away look and he mentions that it is a tell-tale sign of Autism...
Have you watched the movie called "Rain Man"? With Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise... I think its one of those all time greats and Dustin Hoffman is a man suffering from Autism. He has amazing abilities in things like what you describe. When a bunch of toothpicks falls from a waitress's hand, he looks down and is able to count how many were there!! He is capable of remembering ALL, and I mean ALL, telephone numbers WITH the person's name AND addresses in the entire address book!! :) Just like this boy who can calculate the days of a date in every year!! Amazing!! Yet its amazingly sad as well, since they are incapable of funtioning normally in society and will suffer like this for the rest of their lives... It's really sad...
But there is a silver lining as well that I see in your story Sas... How the man treated him... It was really good and the boy is accepted into their lives and his achievements are valued! :) There are still good people around, arent there? :)
Thanks for the comment Ineshka, yes I'm no Doctor but I would guess that he's sufferring from Autism.
I think it's still a medical mystery this Autism, where somepeople turn out to be 'special' others can act simply outrageous.
I haven't read that book you mentioned, and I've been looking for "Rain man" from a long time!!!
Can't find it anywhere!
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