Against The Grain

Charlie had kept people thinking most of his life. People hadn’t always understood how he lived his life. Even after he answered their questions. His perspective on life spawned from being Autistic. His outlook on life being far different than Societal Norms and Standards. He didn’t mind “going against the grain” as most people said he’d so often do. Life is full of experiences. People having different experiences throughout life being something he’d cite. Often. He’d never cared what others thought. Or so people thought. He had cared. He had an uncanny ability to hide just how much he cared.

He’d cared what others thought. He saw it as feedback. Things to improve on to be more “sociable” according to people. He’d thought he’d done well. Until something happened anyway. It left him with severe trust issues. People hadn’t been so kind to him though. He’d come to not care after a while because of how many times people screwed him over. His already severe trust issues worsened over time. He kept to himself far more than before. He’d distanced himself from friends. People he’d once considered family. They’d let their actions speak for them. He was doing the same. 

“I’m so proud of you” Julian said
“Thanks. I’m looking forward to this new endeavor” Charlie replied
“Half a plan man right now?” Julian asked with a grin
“No plan actually. Aside from a loft and a job no plan” Charlie responded 
“Wow, that’s…” Julian began
“Eh, not really, why plan when things don’t always go the way one would like. I’ve found just going with it helps more” Charlie nonchalantly said
“That’s… a good way to look at it. A really good one actually” Julian said with a baffled face
“Yeah, tell me something I don’t know” Charlie chuckled

The move to Miami Beach had brought new beginnings into his life. He’d left the town he’d grown up behind in doing so. Something he thought would never happen. He was happy it had. His position on a Marketing team changed his life. He’d been working remotely until he had the money to move. They loved his perspective on life. It was part of the reason the Magazine hired him. Confrontations with various people before his departure left him with fewer friends. He didn’t mind. They’d let their actions speak. They’d shown they weren’t really his friends to begin with. 

”You’re just afraid it’s not going to work out and I’m going to crawl back here” Charlie angrily said
“It’s not that” Jude replied 
“Then what is it that makes you say what you did? I’m just curious as to why you’d say all that” Charlie asked
**SILENCE FROM JUDE**
Say SOMETHING. Oh wait, you can’t because you know I’m right” Charlie said after a minute of silence
It’s not that. You have-” Jude began
Oh, I see, it’s because of the mistakes I made and you’re no longer willing to do it again. This time is different. Far different. 

He’d looked back on his past and current life that first night in his loft. He’d gone no contact with Jude (his dad) after the confrontation. An incident in public prior to his departure left him needing to stay longer to deal with it. The result was putting Jude in a Care Facility after the Dementia diagnosis. On top of everything else with his dad. The last conversation he had with Jude being one of shaming him the entire time. That actions have consequences. He was now experiencing the consequences of his actions. Of not taking care of himself like he’d needed to. Charlie had sold the car and taken that money as extra security. The life he experienced to the life he had now. His mothers death from an Aneurysm over twenty years prior broke him. People weren’t sure how to help him grieve. The result being the feeling of being alone. He’d never felt so alone as a result. His thoughts, emotions, everything, spoke through his Poetry. It helped him grieve her death. Or from going down a far darker road. He’d gone into Marketing as another creative outlet. One he is far better at than he thought. 

He’d gone no contact with nearly everyone in his life. Aside from his colleagues. He’d called people out far too often. Claims of being “out of line” were made. The only thing he’d done was challenging them on things they did. Along with their actions. He’d no longer wanted to stand by while people led conflicting lives. Lives where their actions spoke for them while their words said something different. He cited wanting clarification on different things. He explained things differently in the end that left everyone ashamed. It was too late to make amends with him by then though. 

“I’m proud of you” Oliver smiled
“Thanks. It was easier than I thought actually” Charlie sighed
“I can’t imagine though” Oliver concerningly said 
“People never really understood me because of my Autism. I go against the grain in ways that rub people the wrong way. I’m blunt and most think I’m rude or something even when I’m telling them things they need to hear” Charlie answered
“Yeah, I’ve noticed that. I’ve noticed just how misconstrued this really world is” Oliver replied
“Social “Norms” and standards are just to control and manipulate people. Let people live their life happily” Charlie sighed

Oliver had known Charlie long enough to see the world differently. He saw things Charlie had known for a while. He’d realized just how detrimental Societal Norms and Standards are to society. He saw the manipulation and the deceit as time went on. He saw what Charlie did. Charlie's observance fascinated Oliver. He’d been the only person that’d been able to get close to Charlie. Oliver realized just how much damage life had done to him. And why his trust issues were so severe. He was proud of Charlie for going against the grain and dismantling Societal Norms and Standards.