AESTHETIC MIND

The Unusual Case

[Theo]

I didn't know if he's into comedy but mistaking me for a vase is somewhat confusing. It didn't seem like he's blind, I can tell that he has no problem focusing on something.

Quite odd

I should conform him for what I observe but a kid's voice carries no weight in adult

I think I better off stays quite.

"I am Theodore, Mr?" I said introducing myself

I stretch out a hand for a handshake but he stared at it confusingly.

Is he not into physical touching? But he touched my head just a moment ago?

This is getting querier and querier

The oddity of the situation aid my increasing boredom at the party

We sat down together at a table and talked about paintings and philosophy. I learned that his name is Daniel Rameres, he's a well known artist and a poet. He looks young despite being 47, his speaking skill are excellent and he always makes sure I won't get bored at the topic.

I told him about my friend Yael and my classmate Heather, about the new drugs that's being developed in America, different kinds of brain surgery and other stuffs that makes me happy

He looks like he's enjoying my stories so I am thrilled to talk more, despite being partly shocked at how I'm behaving. I didn't know I can be this talkative

"You know, I like you" I said full in admiration

"If only my dad is half as engaging as you. I'm not saying I don't like my dad though" I added

He laugh wholeheartedly

But when someone suddenly turned up the sound, Daniel stops for a whole minute, he stopped motionless, his eyes, unfocused and his breathing became heavy.

"Daniel?" I called him

In an instant he resume laughing

I'm certain that there is something wrong with Daniel, although I can't pointed it out now but there really is something unusual about his behavior.

I'm sure I've read about it somewhere, but because of the noise I  can't think properly.

A moment later Daniel's phone started ringing. His phone is placed at the table, he seems preoccupied with something since he just looks at his phone oddly, he seems intrigue by his phone. It almost looks like he can't recognize the devise in front of him

Can a person really fail to recognize his own phone?

The ringing stopped but his eyes are fixed at the device, after a few seconds it ring again

He pick it up and studied it carefully, looks at it closely and even smelled it. It was getting weirder and weirder each time he pause and mumbled something to himself

"It's your phone" I said

I couldn't bare to look at this behaviour anymore, assuming that he's doing that for humour.

"Ahh! Cellphone" He quickly answered his phone, after taking the call he bid goodbye at me and find my aunt to do the same.

I suffered two more hours until we finally decided to go home, my dad can't drive since he took a few shots so my mother scolded him and ask my brother to drive us home.

The whole drive was just mother cursing at dad and my dad continuously apologizing nonstop

"Theo anak wala pang gamot para sa bunganga ng nanay mo?" my dad whispered

Mom is sitting at the front next to my brother and I'm sitting next to my dad

"No, but there's a lot of cases about wives cutting their husband's manhood because of getting drunk"

"Sorry na Annalisa! Konti lang naman ininom ko eh" He said sincerely

I hope now he understand that I'm always on mother's side

The moment we entered the house, I run to enter my room and scoured the room to look for my books.

I remember where I put it but my mom almost always move my books when she's cleaning.

After a few minutes I found Oliver Sacks's book

I hurried downstairs and called mother

"Mother, do you know Daniel Rameres?!"

"Wag kang mag sisisigaw Theodore! Nagugutom ka ba?"

Her answer is nowhere near my question but, you know mothers.

"Kilala mo ba si Daniel Rameres Ma?"I ask again, this time she gave me the answer I wanted.

That trip wasn't so bad after all

Mother already ask Daniel if I could visit him tomorrow, he agreed happily according to mother.

The next morning I arrived at Daniel's residence early

A beautiful woman near her 70's welcome me inside the house. The walls was covered in family pictures and Daniel's artwork. The drawings are although it's all dashing, the style seems to change over the years. From a semi-realistic style down to an abstract one. 

"Gusto mo ba ng biscuit iho?" She offered in a grandmotherly tone

"Opo"

"Bababa na din si Daniel maya maya"

A few seconds after she went inside the kitchen Daniel came down upstairs. He looked around the house, humming a classical tune. When his eyes landed at me, he display no recognition, not until I spoke.

"Mr Daniel, will it be okay if I ask you to name this?"

I handed him a glove

"Is it okay if I examine it?" He grab the glove and proceed to examine it, just like his phone, he was perplexed by the common thing in front of him

He tries smelling the glove, feeling it thoroughly but still, he can't name the thing

"Parang lalagyan siya ng bagay, hindi ako sigurado" was all he can say until his mother came in, holding a tray of biscuit

"Tama na, kumain na muna kayo dito" She said putting down the tray and snatching the glove in his son's hand

"Kumain na muna tayo"

Her voice sounds so gloomy and sad

It doesn't take too long for me to realize how she felt

I should've talked to her first.

****Theo's side note*****

Be safe everyone. Be responsible, stay at home and take your vitamins.