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6/16/2011

100 Word Challenge - Perfectionism


What follows is in response to the 100 Word Challenge, authored by the possessor of minute flaw, Velvet Verbosity. The word this week is "Perfectionism".

Barbara from Purple Moose Gazette is Guest Host this week.

100 Word Challenge


They stood and watched him through the window in his door, as he sat on the floor and worked on constructing the wall of blocks. Alphabet blocks. The kind children use.

He'd been working on the wall for as long as he'd been there, never quite getting it done - never quite getting it right - and with each failure to get it perfect he'd tear it down and start over.

That's why he was there.

Some said he was Autistic. Some, Severe Asperger's. Some, just said crazy.

He said he was a perfectionist.

Those watching couldn't find a disease called "Perfectionism".



Ndinombethe.


13 comments:

Big Mark 243 said...

Or perhaps he was a savant and saw something where others could not.

Grandmother Mary said...

We're so quick to label and so slow to understand. And respect differences. And help kids accept their and others' differences.

Shadow said...

mmmm, i know when things are right, and tearing them down when they aren't makes perfect sense... like how you depicted this!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, what he saw is nothing like what everyone else did. I like the openmindedness of the emotions. well done.

M said...

I like your take on the prompt. It's true, we're quick to label and slow to understand but sometimes I think that's just because labels and answers put us at ease--it lends a course of action as opposed to feeling helpless.

Tara R. said...

I've seen that kind of focus on getting a task done just right. You captured that frustration and compulsion very well.

AuroraLee said...

Did he see anything in the blocks beyond the As and Bs? Did he simply strive to create the best damn wall of block possible?

How can that be a 'disease'?

Carrie said...

a shame some people just aren't understood. Great piece

visiting from 100 words

Anonymous said...

Nice... poignant yet just a touch defiant. Thank you.

HalfAsstic.com said...

Brilliant. So I am taking it that you know an Autism/Aperger's Syndrome bearer?

PattiKen said...

How often we label things that we don't understand. If only we could just unclench and learn...

This is a very wise post, my friend.

PurpleMoose said...

well said, my friend. I like this very much.

Yve said...

Fantastically done. Nothing more to say.