Returning from a Witness party ... er... "Gathering"

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

MANY years ago I was in a car group of four Brothers, driving back from a  party  gathering in Baltimore, Maryland to Richmond Virginia .

Sidney was driving, I was riding "shotgun". Steve was behind Sidney, and the other Tom was behind me. We had the Beach Boys on the radio/tape player, LOUD, and having a GREAT time. 

Sidney was slapping the sides of the steering wheel to the music, ... I was slapping the dashboard. Steve was slapping the back of Sidney's seat, and Tom was singing along ( more or less) as we all were (more or less).

We are on Interstate 95, about half way to Richmond, and it is dark, about 3AM. 

SUDDENLY, Tom yells out "HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP TORTURING ME WITH THIS MUSIC?!",  and demanded to be let out of the car.   Sidney is stopping  the car as we try reasoning with him as he yells "LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!"....  that it is 50 miles to his apartment, and it is 3AM, etc., etc.

In a panic accompanied by "LET ME OUT!  LET ME OUT!" Sidney pulls over and lets Tom out the car, and we pull about 50 feet ahead, watching him in the rear view mirrors as traffic goes by.

To me, the problem was solved, Tom got what he wanted, and what he demanded, and I gave the "Wagons Ho!" sign for  Sidney to continue.

Steve says "We just can't leave him here, in the dark, halfway home ...", and we agree, although it confuses me, I recognize there is SOME truth to that. (edited)

 Steve says "We just can't leave him here, in the dark, halfway home ...", and we agreed, although at the time I seemed to only recognize that there was  SOME truth to that.

Tom gets back in the car, we turn the tape player off, and finish the trip in complete silence.

I guess the Beach Boys surfing music is an acquired taste.

[JW Insider]

9 hours ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

although it confuses me

Sounds like it was a gathering party. If I were a judgmental person I might even suspect alcohol, too. Although I can think of other reasons for the confusion.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

JWI:

No, there was no alcohol involved. just dancing and association with the Brotherhood.

The "other Tom" was a very fine Brother, an ex-Bethelite, and a Pioneer .. but he was completely wrapped too tight, probably because of his struggle with poverty. 

We were roommates for awhile when his apartment caught on fire

Now, a half century later,  that I have found out about such things, he may have had high functioning Asperger's  syndrome.

One Sunday he was giving the Public Talk, and was talking about how wonderfully we are made ... and he said "Look at the back of your hand and see the blood vessels and veins there and just think of the intricate detail ...", and in looking at his own hand, he got "lost in space", and examined his hand for about a minute in silence, before continuing.

10 hours ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

although it confuses me,

 

I was speaking as if I was in that time period .... not now.

I should have said  ... " Steve says "We just can't leave him here, in the dark, halfway home ...", and we agreed, although at the time I seemed to only recognize that there was  SOME truth to that."

I have had several people ask me if I have Asperger's syndrome ...and might explain a few things, also.

.

 

 

[TrueTomHarley]

I love when the highbrow guy suggested Doc Martin has Asbergers, as he obviously does. Doc shut him down instantly. 

2 hours ago, JW Insider said:

If I were a judgmental person I might even suspect alcohol, too

Good l**k on that.

[JW Insider]

10 hours ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

The "other Tom" was a very fine Brother, an ex-Bethelite, and a Pioneer .. but he was completely wrapped too tight, probably because of his struggle with poverty. 

The part about seeming wrapped to tight seems obvious, but he was trying to be sociable and then appears to have some kind of panic attack, perhaps not so much from the music itself but the incomprehensible sensory overload from the tapping and imperfect singing on top of the music. Not enough data to diagnose Asperger's Syndrome, but it's a possibility.

10 hours ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

20 hours ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

although it confuses me,

I was speaking as if I was in that time period .... not now.

Yes, I was kidding but you didn't need to edit it. It already was understood that your confusion about the right thing to do was back then, not now. That's why I joked about alcohol. It seems almost impossible, even at 3 AM, that 3 other people would not immediately realize that dropping off someone 50 miles from home at that time of night was very clearly a problem, no confusion about it.