Inner Mind Workings

I was having lunch up at switchboard and we were chatting about the
world in general and how things have gone to pot in many ways. Most
of it was generalized character review of much populace. Then he got
a phone call about an atm card being left around the corner. I
overheard him [get louder and] say that he couldn't leave (true) and
that he'd get Security. I figured they'd demanded he go look for it
as it was so near the 'board and he'd had a few demanding callers
already. So in the back of my mind, I thought, "Well, you can't, but
zheezh, /I/ can leave... I could go over and look for it for the
person!" But then I realized he'd already mentioned Security, there
must be some policy that forbids a common I.S. person from doing such
a thing. So, as I inwardly cursed whoever made such a rule, the
thought was forced from my mind. This all happened in my head during
the split second it took for him to hang up. Such is the speed of
thought - lightning fast, deductive, assuming, dismissing.

As my thoughts swirled back to our conversation (which as I said was
about general population and the world going to pot) he looked right
at me, his voice still raised, and started repeating part of his
conversation. At first I thought our rather negative opinions of
some people had become energized because of the demanding caller.
Then I realized his voice was /really/ loud, his eyes piercing, and
it dawned on me that he was asking me to do something. This made me
panic because I had to reinterpret everything he'd just said to me,
which took several long moments. (Remember that I base a lot of what
people say on context.) As I completed my reinterpretation
[correctly this time], I knew he was staring at me with the look my
mother used to give me all the time, thinking, what the heck is wrong
with her? Why won't she respond to this urgent matter? That threw
me into more of a panic because it was like being a kid all over
again! He then misinterpreted the deer-in-headlights look for
fearful resistance to help my fellow man and said evenly, "The
thought of doing that frightens you and you don't want to do it."

At which point I said, "It's not that, I've been misunderstanding
what you were saying - I'll be right back." So I went out, found the
card, returned it to him, and we proceeded to chat about the
incident. He had a good laugh over my explanation several minutes
later.

Over the few years I've known Dale, I've told him much of my
experience with CAPD and the way my mind works. It's become apparent
that he may have some version of it as well and I wonder just how
many people DO think in such a manner. Wars could be getting started
over simple misinterpretation. Tower of Babel, indeed. So, when I
ask him something and I see his eyes glaze over, I simply wait. My
mother, I think, has seen that glazed look. Recently she said, "I
can't figure him out sometimes. I know he's smart but sometimes he's
so... quiet." I haven't told her our suspicions. LOL

I'm going back to my ice cream now.