I wished to be called Dexter.

A child strived to become the pinnacle of mental excellence. His peers requested for his help as those same peers challenged and questioned his aptitude.

“You cheated!”

No I didn’t; it was a speed test of 100 problems.

“You’re not THAT smart. I bet I can beat you.”

If you say so. Don’t tell me I cheated afterwards.

“Can you help me with this problem?”

I’m not the best teacher.

Stricken with silence, he faced his world of prosperous criticism that slowly declined as his reputation preceded him. Soon, those who looked most skeptical of his abilities started to plead for his help in an attempt to avoid getting scolded at by their parents. His life was easy-going and grand, however, he was awaiting the eventual appearance of his laboratory. He assaulted state exams with ease and comfortably joined students of similar ability in a category he would like to dub as his home.

I almost became Dexter.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Although the laboratory was not yet fully developed, my impatience was worn thin and I insisted on testing its mettle. The laboratory contained records of my thoughts, actions, and the names of those around me. It was a marvelous invention created by the natural passage of time. In the center of a diverse display of flashing lights lay a monumental monitor that reflected solely my image. I stood before it and lay my soul upon its circuitry.

Thus, began my journey of self-realization. Grades were my expertise and all else was deemed miscellaneous necessities which I understood would better me but did not pique my curiosity enough to pursue them.

“Computer, what is love? Do I need friends? Why doesn’t anyone talk to me?”

Your input contains abstract concepts without proper numerical values to provide a sufficient answer.

I left determined to seek the missing values for my queries. I had researched the most feasible topic. I had carried on as usual as to not contaminate my results. Yesterday, not a soul has spoken to me. Studies have shown that my peers are more likely to speak to me in the event of what would be deemed as “Last Resort”. My peers question me only when incomprehensive lessons are taught in class. A few days have passed since I have engaged in “conversation”, but my classes seem to be doing well. My next study seemed a harder concept to study but revealed to be contradictory to my beliefs. Before I had time to record on my clipboard, the results have shown themselves.

Initiating Next Inquiry. Preparing.

Due to the integration of new information, your previous inquiries can now be answered. Friends can be defined as– information provided by Dexter- a free body occasionally socializing with random, perhaps more relevant bodies that contain a tendency to disappear from what they had previously expressed as “friend”- a term used to define a body of greater importance to an individual’s own perspective. Initiating Next Inquiry. Preparing. Through thorough examination of values supplied by Dexter, an inference can be supplied due to an immense amount of varying values.

Is this acceptable? Yes. No.

I had hesitantly chose yes.

Studies have shown, although inconclusive, the possibility that one’s incapability to speak can hinder communication with others. Significant amount of impulsive dependency has been recorded from the subject’s peers. Although dependent, the subject’s peers also reflect a negative influence on the previous inquiry’s result. The subject may have been used to privately supply answers to assignments.

The computer had spoken… unfavorably.

Regarding the third inquiry I relied on the internet to help define the subject.

The information has been processed and has been categorized as contradictory. No further explanation can be given.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A child that had been ostracized from the very people he grew interest in understanding. His best interests at school had been beaten by his curiosity of people. Although he hated people in general for what he had experienced, he could not help but want to understand them and learn about his “socially dysfunctional” personality. Eventually, he had met people who had been open-books and required no further investigation: loud, obnoxious, senseless, reckless, but oh so fun. They taught him wits, the world, and how to socialize with those he wanted to understand. The self-proclaimed Dexter had thrown away his specs, his past, and shut down his laboratory for wrongfully enforcing his false preconceptions in exchange for social skills, responsibility, and a trustful gut to believe or be skeptical to criticisms that he had not possessed before. His hands were promoted from tapping a cold noisy keyboard to greeting the warm hands of another.

 

Bio: Gustavo Reyes is an average wandering Aims college student.