vincent

The story we listened to today was the utterly depressing story of Vincent, a 35 year old who has a variant of downs syndrome. Vincent’s story was particularly depressing to me because I have friends whose siblings have autism, and downs syndrome and this story seems to be what their fate will have in store for them. Vincent could easily be some people I know in 20 years, people who did noting to deserve such a cruel punishment; they were just born that way. “The special child” is not something that I would want to be called; I was saddened even more but the fact that in the story there was no positive side to things. In a TV show I watch called Monk, the main character has OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, this disorder left Mr. Monk with odd phobias and wanting everything to be in order. However this disorder also allowed him to solve cases that other police officers couldn’t. Vincent couldn’t solve cases Vincent could only watch old movies and remember trivia from them.  People say that “ignorance is bliss” and I think that Vincent vas ignorant for a long time, ignorant, and, in a deranged sense happy. I felt that how this man was wasting his life away was even more hopeless.  His sister said that “he would sleep for 18 hours a day” this seemed as though he had stopped caring, when he stopped caring he became almost a vegetable. This horrid syndrome left him unable to have a normal life. Vincent was unable to drive have a marriage or even have a “dignified” job. This sort of a shallow life is one that no one wants to live. Listening to this made me understand a little better why university doesn’t want people to call things retarded.  Any ways this also depresses me because I’m so used to there being a happy, or at least more positive ending. Vincent’s syndrome has no cure. The other sad thing is that the family has the same pain in it from Vincent. They see a brother and a son who is struggling to have a mediocre life. It saddens them even more when Vincent drops out of the Special Olympics, quits his job and pretty much gives up on life. This “mental suicide” hurt his family as they worried about Vincent and his odd behavior.  Even though Vincent did come out of this recession it was still a jarring process for all involved. I have seen people who have grown cold and recessed into their own little world, some have come out, and some never have. I pray for those who haven’t came out and am thankful for the ones who have.  Even thought this story is depressing I still think that there must be something that Vincent is good at, you may think that I’m BSing you but I’m not. I really believe that when a door closes a window opens, so I hope Vince finds that window.

 

Chris Thompson