It is the evening of a Tuesday in Autumn.
You are [[Sofia]], a fresh graduate from Maryland. You are a couple of months into your [[new full-time job]], still in dismay that you are unable to pursue a [[career in art]]. You, leaving your parents at an early age, had no choice but to accept this difficult yet high-paying job. You wonder what your [[parents]] would have to say about it, but then remember why you left them in the first place. You instead feel a sudden calm and sigh in relief.
You deal with [[apathy issues]], which your peers find ironic, as you have taken a job as a caregiver. You often argue that your apathy gives you the edge even in your field of work, as "it prevents mistakes caused by attachment." Most people don't believe you, and it times, you question whether you are trying to convince them or yourself.
You spend the next few hours contemplating on this, until the the sound of voices disrupts your rest.
[[Next.|dad]]You are Sofia.
You are a dynamic person.
All your life you've never been the most popular amongst your peers, however you did have friends. Over time, you've developed a certain fondness for the [[few who have remained close to you|Angie]]. You, however, tend to conceal the fact that you care for them.
Being a 23 year-old fresh out of Maryland Institute College of Art, you realize you have more pressing matters to attend to. It has been four months since you graduated. For the first month of your not-so-glamorous independent life, you spent most of your days rummaging through the papers for job ads, checking Craigslist for offerings, and the like. You weren't looking for anything special, just something to get you started.
You felt hopeless. You realized that no job means no income.
Just when you were about to give up you came across a caregiving job for a young boy. It offered a surprisingly [[high salary]]. *"This is odd,"* you thought to yourself. It looked like an easy payday so you decided not to question it.
Had you known what you were getting into, you probably would've passed the offer.It's always been your dream since you were a young girl to be an artist.
The first time you picked up a crayon, the walls of your house became a canvas. Your mother wasn't very pleased, but you always that your work was quite good.
As you grew up you would always take whatever art classes would be available at your community center. When you left your parents, you left with a heavy heart. Art was your outlet.
You then followed your dreams to Maryland's local art institute where you graduated with flying colors.
Still holding on to this dream, you hope that one day it will become a reality.You were born in Baltimore Maryland about 23 years ago to *"loving parents."*
Your parents raised you with just enough care to keep you breathing. The kitchen was always filled with food and you had a roof over your head. Every moment you were alive was not truly living, however. You still dream of restless nights that kept you up. Surely the voices of your parents kept the neighbors up as well. It was not the perfect family. Not for you, anyways. You've always felt strange distance between you and your parents.
Those who knew your parents thought they were very good people. You beg to differ. *"Maybe I was just young and naive,"* you think to yourself every now and then.
It's too late now. You've already left them.You never felt like your blood relatives were family. You don't blame your family, though. You were one of the most outspoken people in your school and community.
Childhood wasn't a compilation of warm memories for you. Instead, it was exactly the lack thereof. You want to care, you really do. You just never learned how to. That cost you [[many friendships]] in the past.
You rise from your quarters and slowly make your way to the voices. They seem to be echoing throughout the whole estate. *"Not again,"* you think to yourself. You've finally come to a halt in front of the door of the room where the voices are coming from.
You ponder whether to go inside.
As you gently place your hand on the doorknob you hear a low, husky voice.
*"I can't understand why you keep doing this. This is a waste of your time and more importantly, ***mine."*** *
You take a step back as someone opens the door from the other side. You look up at the [[towering figure that came out of the door|robert]].
[[Next.|emilio first encounter]]Angie is your best, if not only, friend.
You met when you were assigned to be roommates in art school. You were told by management that you were going to be staying solo in your room. So, you were surprised when you heard the creaking of the door as Angie came in on that first day. Despite the disagreements you tend to have and your contrasting personalities, you ended up being the best of friends.
Ever since then, you've always considered Angie as family. You've just never known how to let her know how much you care about her.
You've found out after graduation that Angie is the headmaster of the art school's daughter. Due to her father's connections, she was able to set up her own art exhibits straight out of college. She has been travelling the world ever since.Earning money was never your strongest suit.
Having left home at a young age, you were your only financial support system. You remember the late night shifts at the local McDonald's, occassionally spilling drinks due to your lack of sleep. It didn't pay well, but it put food on your plate.
You've always felt that money was less of a priority, and more of a means of more easily pursuing an art career. You've struggled making friends in the past. Once you did make friends, the harder part was keeping them.
There was this boy in middle school that you were quite fond of. Not in any middle school crush kind of way, but you were truly interested in getting to know this person.
Time passed and your friendship with this new friend grew stronger.
One day, this friend opened up to you about his struggles at home. You heard his words and saw his tears, but you simply could not comfort him. You tried your hardest but simply could not.
In the following weeks after that, distance between the two of you simply grew too large. It felt as though a piece of your puzzle was missing. It still does.Robert is your employer.
A tall elderly man with a burly build and a light stubble, Robert is the eldest of his siblings. As the eldest child, he worked to support his family. During his youth, he worked in a cotton mill up until his early twenties. In his free time, he would study and read textbooks that he'd borrow from the local public library.
Still in poverty, Robert was offered a full scholarship for entrance into a top university. This is the point when Robert turned his life around.
Knowing the value of earning what you want, he does not spoil his children. Instead, he teaches them the importance of perseverance. He, however, is also known for being a conservative person, not very open to new ideas.You look into Robert's eyes momentarily. As he walks away, you run into the door he came out of.
You see [[Emilio]] clearly distraught. With tears soaking his papers and his hands over his face, he sobs.
*"I wish I could comfort him,"* you think to yourself. Unable to make words come out of your mouth, you merely give something that somewhat resembles a proper hug.
Unable to sit still, Emilio ejects himself from his chair and barges out of the room.
All you could do was watch.
[[Next.|company]]Emilio is a fourteen year-old boy from an affluent family. Son of Robert and the boy you are tasked to take care of, Emilio has been diagnosed with severe ADHD when he was seven years of age.
Emilio gives you occassional trouble and was more of a burden to you when you first started this job. Over time, you've grown quite fond of the quirks in his personality.
He is fully aware of his disorder, but cannot help himself.
His symptoms of inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity make it hard for him to perform basic tasks in his daily life. Due to this and his parents being unable to fully care for him because they are busy managing a large international oil company, Emilio's parents hired you as his full-time caregiver.
Your role is crucial for his development. A couple of days have passed since Emilio's confrontation with Robert.
[[Linda]] comes into your room asking you to join the family in Robert's office to discuss an important matter.
You stare blankly at her momentarily, as this is something that has not occurred before. It was out of Linda's character.
*"Sofia?"*
*"Sorry, I'll be there right away."*
Taking a few moments to compose yourself, you follow Linda into Robert's office.
[[Next.|company2]]Linda is Emilio's mother and also your employer. The employer you prefer.
She was born to a wealthy family, unlike Robert, who amassed his wealth over time. Prior to meeting Robert and conceiving Emilio, Linda was married to James, CEO of a large European manufacturing company. She often mentions the affair he had, which caused her to leave.
After Linda's first marriage collapsed, Linda decided to live a carefree life. "A strong independent woman," she would call herself.
During her carefree travels, she met Robert on a cruiseship to the Bahamas.
Fast forward to the present, she now aids Robert with the management of the family oil company. She still carries her worry-free mentality and is still young at heart. Sometimes a bit too young for your taste.
Many still wonder how she fell for such a strict disciplinarian such as Robert.As you and Linda enter the office, you already see Robert and Emilio seated, waiting for you two to get settled.
Silence was broken by two words.
*"The company,"* said Robert, *"has a big expansion opportunity in Ireland. We need to commit ourselves fully to living there if we are going to make this work."*
Robert added, *"I also think it would be a good opport-"*
*"Dad, what's in like in Ireland?"* Emilio blurted out.
Robert simply glared at him.
*"As I was saying, a good opportunity for Emilio to move away from all his useless writing and meet with one of our training specialists. Son, one day you'll be the head of our company."*
[[Offer to take care of Emilio while the parents are away.|offer]]*"No, you'll just encourage him to write. Of what use is writing? It won't contribute to our company."*
*"Robert, maybe Sofia is right on this one,"* says Linda.
You notice Emilio starting to stare outside the window.
*"Emilio,"* you whisper, *"what would you like to do?"*
*"I wanna go to writing school! I know I'm not suited for an office job."*
*"Yes, clearly. Emilio, you can't even keep your room tidy. How can you keep an office desk neat?"* joked Linda.
*"We will make it work. It's settled then. Ireland in a month,"* Robert said.
[[Next.|workbook]]As Emilio left the office, you followed closely behind him.
Emilio jumped towards his king-sized bed and fell asleep. You decided not to wake him, but you needed to pick-up a few things from his room, as per Linda's request. They were dental documents Linda had forgotten in Emilio's room.
You don't mean to intrude, but you notice a black disheveled book on Emilio's desk.
The cover, clearly written in Emilio's not-so-glamorous handwriting, read: *"My Poetry Workbook. PRIVATE!!!"*
You are conflicted as to what you should do, but you eventually come to a decision.
[[Open the workbook.|open]]
[[Leave the room.|leave]]You slowly open the workbook to Emilio's latest entry.
You are not accustomed to his handwriting, but you still made an effort to read it. You spent a good fifteen minutes deciphering the characters.
You *think* it reads:
*"Entry 5/21/17
String attached on me
Controlled by the meddling stigma
I am merely a puppet of society
Seen as comedy in the opera "*
As an artist, you interpret this as the overflowing emotions of Emilio when Robert tried to shut down his dream of becoming a poet. You wonder what choice of words to impart to Emilio.
[[Share your experience about art with Emilio.|art experience]]
[[Confront Robert about the situation with Emilio.|confront robert]]By leaving Emilio's workbook, you have respected Emilio's privacy. Such a noble gesture on your end.
Emilio has been indoors for the past few weeks. You attempt to convince him to expose himself to the outdoors, through carefully constructed sentences.
*"Emilio, wouldn't it be fun to go outside? I'm sure there's something exciting going on"*
Emelio grunts.
*"I'm not sure how to connect to Emilio well enough,"* you think to yourself. *"Maybe the workbook could've helped."*
[[Next.|confines]]As an art major, you remember the words that inspired you to pursue a career wherein people criticize what you do and what you are capable of.
At the end of the day, you added a new entry to your journal. It reads:
*"5/23/17
I took the opportunity to talk to Emilio when he was alone in his room. Sitting by his side on his bed, I tried to talk to him about the harsh talk with his father. I gave him the words that inspired me to endure as an artist that my favorite teacher shared with our graduating class,'Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.' It was a famous quote by Henry Ward Beecher. It was hard to give these words of wisdom as I had to stop from time to time as his mind wanders off. With my efforts, he finally understood what I tried telling and I heard words of warmth, 'That was a beautiful thing to hear.'
Soon after a couple of hours he had been jumping around and going about. When he was finally calm he walked up to me slowly and looked like he wanted to say something. He surprisingly wanted me to come with him to the art festival, Artscape. This is something that would really help Emilio with his self esteem so I had to take this chance." *
[[Take Emilio to Artscape 2017.|artscape]]At the end of the day, you added a new entry to your journal. It reads:
*"5/23/17
I decided to hold my tongue towards Emilio. As much as a care about him and as much as I thought encouraging him would help, I realized it wouldn’t solve the root problem. In addition to that, I just don’t know how to be a shoulder to cry on. I mustered up the courage to confront Robert. In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have. I nearly lost my job!
I started off with what I think was a very good argument. I cited a very enlightening Huffington Post article about nurturing talent. Robert, however, would want nothing to do with it. He said that parenting style is 'too lenient' and it would make Emilio 'soft.' I beg to differ. Considering that this job is my only source of income, I had to take a few steps back and know my place. I walked out of the room with a heavy heart. Thankfully, however, I did not walk out of the estate with my luggage."*
You have only two sensible options:
[[Take Emilio to Artscape.|artscape]]
[[Take Emilio to Therapy.|therapy]]Just three weeks away from the planned departure for Ireland, Artscape 2017 has begun. You accompany Emilio to this event.
You know for a fact that Emilio is excited to be here, however you see him fidgeting and shifting around often. He seems to be frightened. You grab his hand, hoping to give him comfort.
The atmosphere is festive. It is a large-scale open grounds art festival. To the left you can see performing artists, to the right visual artists, and of course, everything in between. You sigh with relief that the event seems to be of high quality this year, as you bought tickets for yourself and Emilio with your own hard-earned money.
Noticing that Emilio has begun murmuring to himself, you decide to...
[[Take him to listen to the performing musicans.|musicians]]
[[Take him to watch the Samba dancers.|samba]]As you walked towards the music section of Artscape, the air soon was filled with melodies from different instruments. These instruments ranged from guitars, to trombones, to even triangles.
Emilio showed keen interest in the music of certain buskers. He went up to them and began asking them a flurry of questions. Caught off guard, the buskers looked at you, and you at them. Your exchange of eye contact seemed to communicate a hundred words. They understood Emilio's condition.
As Emilio calmed down, you thanked the buskers and moved on.
[[Next.|poetry]]Artscape. You've heard it of it before, but this is actually your first time attending. You did not know that Samba was still a thing, but it put a smile on your face knowing that dance is not dead.
You noticed that Emilio began to copy the movements of the Samba dancers in a very... well, you would say "hyper" manner. The Samba dancers were accustomed to this from a child, but not a 14-year old boy. You gave them a look. A somewhat universally understood nod. They received your unspoken message and approached Emilio. They were teaching him the basics of the dance.
Emilio, not being able to pay attention, did not follow the steps. Nonetheless, you saw that his mood had significantly improved.
[[Next|poetry]]Feeling as though this would be the perfect opportunity, you bring up a poetry contest with Emilio.
*"Emilio, would you like other people to enjoy reading your poetry as much as I do?"*
*"..."*
*"Emilio, do you want to join a poetry contest?"*
After the second attempt, you finally catch Emilio's attention and get him to agree to registering.
[[Sign up.|registration]]
You ask for directions to the registration booth. The event security guard was clearly attempting to get your number, but you got him to give you directions instead. You wonder if it was your "seriousness" that everyone has been telling you about that scared him off.
You take Emilio to line up in front of the registration booth. Emilio begins to run from place to place, showing no patience. His unrelenting energy is both a blessing and a curse. You call Emilio to calm him down.
To your dismay, everyone was already staring at him. You realized that there have been whispers.
[[Take Emilio to the qualifiers.|qualifiers]]
You see Emilio seated on stage amongst the other aspiring poets.
*"The theme for this qualifying round is nature,"* the judge announced.
He looks at you as you smile and wave, hopefully encouraging him.
He smiles back, looks down at his paper at picks up his sharp pencil.
*"Is it ADHD?"* a voice from behind asks.
*"I'm pretty sure it is. I saw him during registration,"* a second voice replies.
You hear the voices multiplying.
Emilio could hear them as well. He continued writing his poem, but was clearly distraught.
You run up to the stage to talk to Emilio.
[["What's so wrong about your condition? It's a gift. You are very much capable of writing poems, Emilio."|pass]]
[["Other people like you can make poems just fine. Don't freak out just because these people are talking about you. If other people can keep calm, why can't you?"|fail]]
Emilio paused momentarily.
*"You're right. Thanks, Sofia. You always know just what to say."*
You take Emilio to the nearby snack bar while waiting for the list of qualifiers to be posted. Emilio has a burger, while you opt for the healthier yet less tasty option: salad.
It's 4:15 in the afternoon. Results should be out by now. You and Emilio make your way to a large bulletin board. You struggle to make your way through the crowd. Not necessarily because it's hard to say "excuse me," but because you despise the odor.
You smile and point at a name on the board. It's Emilio.
[[Return to contest grounds.|motivated]]Emilio runs away to an isolated area. You feel as though you should have chosen your words more carefully.
He is still your responsibility. To take care of him is literally your job description. So, you decide to run after him.
The car ride home was filled with awkward glances towards each other. Thankfully, Ed Sheeran's new album just dropped on the radio and that kept Emilio distracted just long enough.
Upon reaching home, in some effort to prove his worth to himself, Emilio attempts to write a poem. He, however, is still clearly distracted by what you said to him.
You decide that things won't get better unless you do something about it.
[[Stay by Emilio's side and help him focus.|focus]]
[[Talk about the incident wherein he ran away.|run]]Emilio, with a smile on his face, began telling you of the many ideas he had for future poems. He spoke of dragons, race cars, and he even spoke of a poem about you. He was clearly inspired.
As Emilio took his seat, the judge took his microphone and said *"This final round's theme is family."*
And so the writing began. What actually was ten minutes felt like an eternity. When the bell rang, it felt as if everyone snapped out of a trance they were put in.
Three judges collected the papers of the contestants, eager to examine each one carefully.
[[Next.|winners]]It is nearly the end of today's Artscape events. Part of the closing ceremony is the announcement of winners.
With wide bright eyes, Emilio was eager to hear what the judges had to say. It was unlike anything you've seen from him. Attentiveness on this level was unheard of, coming from him.
*"Once again ladies and gentlement, our second runner up, Emilio!"*
Those were the words that proved to Emilio that he truly was given a gift.
*"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to remind you once again that these top three poets standing before you today will be having their works published on our websites. Yes, ladies and gentlemen they will be available for viewing on our website."*
[[Next.|showparents]]It is a week until the planned departure for Ireland.
*"Honey, I think there's something you should see,"* said Linda.
You watched Robert from a distance as you knew that the website Linda was showing Robert was the website that published Emilio's poetry.
"Sad. Nothing. Confused. Confused. Happy. Happy?" you thought to yourself as you analyzed the different facial expressions going on with Robert.
*"Linda, could you call Emilio please,"* said Robert. As Linda made her way to Emilio's room, you rushed back to your quarters, hoping you weren't caught eavesdropping.
*"You too, Sofia. I know you're there. Oh I can just imagine the smile on your face,"* joked Linda.
She was right. You did have a smile on your face.
[[Next.|resolution]]It is the day of the departure for Ireland. Though plans have changed a bit since then.
It's been a while since you last updated your journal. You brush off the dust from the cover and begin to write:
*"7/7/17
This marks my last journal entry working under Robert. Not in the way that you might expect. Robert has left for Ireland and has left Emilio under Linda's care, with my assistance.
He was very pleased with Emilio's work and has realized that Emilio's passion for writing is a blessing and is one of the only ways Emilio can find peace despite his condition.
Robert surprised Emilio with a college of literature scholarship letter and a Parker pen, passed on from his father, and his father before him. It nearly brought Emilio to tears.
Emilio still has difficulty living with his condition but he has gained self esteem, confidence, and the respect of the community. I am happy to have seen how much he has grown these past few months.
We'll have a lot of work to do within the next few weeks, so I won't be able to update my journal for a while. This was the story of an easy paycheck job that turned into a passion of mine.
That's it for me. For now."*
*"Emilio, don't worry you got this,"* you say as you try to guide Emilio.
Emilio began to constantly leave his seat and ramble on about the various writing techniques he wants to implement.
*"Emilio, please sit down,"* you tell him.
He sits after a while and begins to write, however he still ignores most of your questions. You try to convince yourself that it's his ADHD, but deep down you know he's still hurt by what you said during the qualifiers.
You decide to leave it be.
There's still time to make it back to Artscape.
[[Return to Artscape.|winners]]
*"Emilio, can we talk?"*
Emilio shakes his head rapidly.
*"I'd like to apologize about what I sad."*
Emilio continues to shake his head as he runs his fingers through his workbook.
*"I didn't mean for my words to come out that way. I understand if you won't forgive me yet, but I'm just letting you know I truly am sorry. You don't have to like me again just yet, but Artscape is once a year and it's almost over. If we leave now, we can still reach the awarding ceremony."*
Emilio, without saying a word, simply nods and makes his way to the front door.
[[Return to Artscape|winners]]A few days have passed and Emilio hasn't left his room yet. He spends his time taking part in several of his hobbies, such as writing and playing the guitar, but he never barely leaves his room.
With the approval of Emilio's parents, you decide that it is best for him to join a support group for people with his condition, ADHD. After a few phone calls, you manage to reach a support group willing to conduct their sessions once a week, in Emilio's room.
By the end of the first session, you receive a text. It's from your best friend [[Angie|angie2]]. She's in town for a few weeks and was hoping you could catch-up. Robert seemed fine with the idea of Angie visiting the estate, so you texted her back:
*"sure anj, just try not to get me fired, k?"*
[[Next.|dinner]]Angie is your best, if not only, friend.
You met when you were assigned to be roommates in art school. You were told by management that you were going to be staying solo in your room. So, you were surprised when you heard the creaking of the door as Angie came in on that first day. Despite the disagreements you tend to have and your contrasting personalities, you ended up being the best of friends.
Ever since then, you've always considered Angie as family. You've just never known how to let her know how much you care about her.
You've found out after graduation that Angie is the headmaster of the art school's daughter. Due to her father's connections, she was able to set up her own art exhibits straight out of college. She has been travelling the world ever since.After texting you several times for directions, Angie finally made her way to Robert and Linda's estate.
She smiled and instantly ran towards you for a hug. Not knowing exactly how to hug, you leave your arms hanging awkwardly by the sides and instead say *"I missed you, Angie."*
*"Don't be a stranger,"* Angie tells you lovingly.
As you, Angie, and Emilio get settled for dinner, Emilio began shifting around in his chair, most likely excited to get to know Angie better. You haven't exactly gotten to the point in your story with Angie to tell her that Emilio is different.
After all the moving in his chair, Emilio hits his glass water bottle, spilling water all over Angie's new phone. You pray to yourself that it was insured.
[[Talk to Angie privately about Emilio's condition.|private]]
[[Ask Emilio to go to his room.|room]]
[[Allow Emilio to explain and speak for himself.|explain]]*"Oh, I had no idea,"* said Angie, *"I probably should've gone easy on the kid"*
*"It's fine, just keep that in mind next time, please."*
*"Surely."*
Angie's always had a soft spot for you. You used to always be able to win her over to your side of the argument, without much of, well... an argument.
Looks like not much has changed.
[[Next.|friends]]After Angie left, you decided to check on Emilio.
*"What can I get right in life? I can't even meet new people without screwing up, so why do I even try?"* Emilio asks you as he hears you open the door.
*"Dr. Menendez always said I was gifted. This never felt like a gift to me. I know what I have and I know there's no complete cure. So what do I do?"*
[[Give Emilio a pep talk.|pep]]
[[Ask for Angie's help.|angiehelp]]
[[Give Emilio alone time.|alone.]]*"I am who I am, I do not need to explain myself to you."*
Those were all the words Emilio said just before he ran up to his room.
[[Next.|room]]A few days have passed since Emilio's incident with Angie. There are still mild feelings regarding what happened, but things have been moving on quickly. Much more quickly for Emilio, as he's been spending more time with his new group recently.
*"Time flies faster when you're having fun,"* you think to yourself.
The support group seems to be working well for young Emilio. You, however, still decide to check up on him.
[[Next.|check.]]*"I see you've been spending more time with the group. It's great fun isn't it?"* you ask.
*"It's alright I guess."*
*"You guess?"*
*"I mean I've been fitting in well. They are just like me. But what about the rest of society? How will they see me?"*
*"We can't please all of society. But isolating ourselves from everyone else just won't help us. We won't grow as people, you know?"*
Shocked by your own statement, you feel like this is the first time you've been able to comfort someone.
*"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger?"* asks Emilio.
*"Cliche, but yes."*
[[Next.|reso]]Fast forward. A lot has happened.
It's the day of the departure for Ireland. Also, unemployement day 1. Not that it would be a bad thing.
You haven't updated your journal in a while. You've almost even forgotten what the leather cover felt like. Textured, yet smooth enough to run your hand over.
You open your journal to a blank page and begin to write.
*"7/7/17
What started out as a job became something more. Today, Emilio joins his family for Ireland, as per his father's wish. I grew to care for the boy. I may have made my mistakes, but I'd like to think I was able to help him.
This morning we had a chat. I was suprised he wanted to go to Ireland. He said it would be a fresh start. His blank canvas. And now he has the tools to make something beautiful.
As for me, I plan to pursue my own dreams, but if Emilio ever needs me, I'll always be willing."*You feel a strong understanding for the situation Emilio presents to you.
*"Look I know what it's like,"* you state. *"I'm not saying I know what it's like to be someone like you, because we're all different. What I'm saying is I know what it's like to question myself. My worth. My being."*
*"How do you live with it?"*
*"I find a new reason each day. Big or small."*
*"You seem to be doing well."*
*"Give it a shot, Emilio."*
[[Next.|reso]]Angie approaches Emilio timidly. With her hands in her pocket, swallowing her pride, she says, *"Emilio I'm so sorry. I was unaware of your condition. It was pretty insensitive of me. Are we good?"*
*"Don't worry about it, I'm used to it."*
*"We can change that. If you'd like, I can set you up with my friend. She's a therapist who works with people with your gift."*
*"I've never tried it before. Sofia?"*
*"I think it could work. Your mother considering therapy anyway,"* you tell Emilio.
*"Okay, but I'll only go when I want to."*
[[Next.|reso]]Emilio spends sleepless nights kept awake by his own thoughts.
Just as his body is restless, his mind follows.
Emilio begins to isolate himself. Slowly, his dettachment from his support group became more and more drastic.
No words have gotten through to him. No poems have been written.
[[Next.|badfinal]]You wanted to update your journal, but you felt too angry to update it. You started this journal the day you met Emilio. You feel like all his burden is on you now.
Instead, you grab whatever paper is closest and begin to write:
*"7/7/17
I had one job. One person. I failed.
Emilio is moving to Ireland with his family, following his dad's wishes to train with a specialist for the future of the company. I feel like he blames me and now believes that his dad is right and that his dreams don't really matter.
It hurts me to see him this way."*
You dropped the pen and threw the paper. You approaches Emilio timidly. With your hands in your pocket, practicing an approachable tone in your head, you say, *"Emilio I'm so sorry. I tried talking to your father. I read your workbook. I know I shouldn't have, but I want to help you."*
*"Don't worry about it, I can take care of myself."*
*"We can go through this together. If you'd like, I can set you up with my friend. She's a therapist who works with people with your gift."*
*"I've never tried it before."*
*"I think it could work. Your mother considering therapy anyway,"* you tell Emilio.
*"Okay, but I'll only go when I want to."*
[[Next.|reso]]The creators of the interactive fiction, [[*23rd of September*|23]], would like to help others understand how intrusive ADHD can be in a person’s life. This is the objective of the game as you take on the role of Sofia, a caregiver who is taking care of Emilio, a child with severe ADHD.
The term ADHD stands for “attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.” People with this disorder may act without thinking, may be hyperactive, and may have trouble focusing. They may understand what is expected of them but have trouble following through. Thankfully, the severity of the disorder may be lessened through proper treatment and/or therapy.
In this game, we wish to illustrate ADHD as accurately as possible. The aim is neither to shine an overly positive nor overly negative light, but rather to break any false stigma surrounding ADHD. If you believe you may suffer from ADHD, please consult your physician or a specialist on ADHD.
23rd of September was submitted as part of MHacks, a 72-hour creation hackathon dedicated to spreading awareness about mental health. We hold this interactive fictional piece close to our hearts and we hope it opens many minds to the issues of mental health.
No part of this work may be distributed or reproduced without prior authorization from the authors.
[[Begin.|Beginning]]
This is the date when philosopher Kahlil Gibran published *The Prophet*, a collection of inspirational sermons delivered by a fictional prophet about love, marriage, work, reason, self-knowledge and ethics. It has challenged tired orthodoxies and oppressive ideologies. I5 has tried to break form of conformity. We have adapted this title as we wish to break the negative conformity of how we view people with ADHD, as they are truly capable of a numerous amount of things, like everyone else.