Odd Desmond

I met this guy, Desmond last week when I went for hospital visit. Frankly, my initial perception of him was quite unpleasant. I thought he was a cranky mad man. He wears worn out jeans and t-shirt, had an eerily unkempt hairstyle, and most importantly, he stared real hard at anything in his view.

But when I started to chat with him while waiting for my friend, my view changed completely. He spoke in a very professional manner and about various subjects.

"My young child wants to be a business psychologist," said Desmond David.

"How old is he now?" I asked.

"He just turned four last week. He reads all my psychology books," said the proud dad.

Sometimes you get this kind of feeling when you're not so close to the other person and you fail to give the right reaction. If he were my classmate or something, I would have just asked him to stop kidding me.

But Desmond had that incomparable serious look.

"Oh… Wow!"

"He just finished his ACCA last month. The results should be out anytime next week I guess," continued the lethal Desmond.

"Oh w…that's kind of unbelievable," I responded.

"What do you mean unbelievable?"

"I, I mean. For a four-year-old to finish ACCA… Don't you think?"

"Do I know you…" Desmond raised his voice.

I was taken aback. "Well…"

"We just met last week and you have the courage to tell me I am a liar?"

"No, I didn't mean to."

"Shut up. My son is a genius and that's a fact!"

"True," I stammered.

"Now you are making fun of me. That was clearly a sarcastic comment. Have you heard of the hare and the tortoise?"

I nodded, nervous.

"You are a tortoise man. You think the tortoise wins at the end? Never… never… never… never! My child is smarter than you, pea brains!"

"That's it! You are stopping it right there," I said.

Just then a hysterical lady came running around the corridor corner.

"Desmond! There you are! Come here, dear. I made your favourite cookies today. Look."

"Yahoo! Choco pops! Choco pops!" Desmond shouted in a childlike voice.

I looked at the lady, then at Desmond. Desmond looked at me, with puppy eyes. Then he crouched and slowly moved behind the lady.

The lady waved her hand slightly to me, apologizing for Desmond's behaviour.