【轻阅读，看世界】What are uneducated but highly intelligent people like?

铅笔英语，每晚睡前故事。

看世界人生百态，品人间真情冷暖。

多一种语言，多一个纬度，多一段故事。

I used to walk my dog in a certain field. Every so often, another dog walker, named Doug, would also be there.

He was gruff, scary looking. He had tattoos, and not the fashionable David Beckham kind. He had scars from childhood fights. Even his dogs looked big and menacing! He grew up in a rough area, only finished high school, and from what I could glean, he’d had hard parents. He was a blue collar worker too. He and I were polar opposites.

We’d walk and talk. To start with, the conversations were superficial. The weather. Our dogs. I often wondered what he made of me. Did he see me as a snob who wouldn’t have much interest in him? That can happen sometimes. It’s called ‘reverse snobbery.’ Fortunately, he didn’t feel that way at all.

Over the months, and years, we came to talk about all sorts. Philosophy, Space, relationships, people, politics, religion. And each time, he’d impress me with his well-rounded grasp of all things. He’d mention new books he’d read about this, that or the other. This guy was a thinker. He was curious. He was always interested and intrigued and asked me detailed questions about myself and my thoughts. After those walks, I’d return home mentally energised and stimulated.

He was obviously a very intelligent bloke who hadn’t been much of a formal student. But he read about things that interested him, he asked questions and he listened. He was intuitive and good at reading between-the-lines and cutting through the bullshit.

Side note: On what would be our last dog walk together, he announced that his partner wasn’t happy with him anymore and wanted him to move out of her house. This would mean he’d be leaving town altogether. He was devastated for two reasons: He’d possibly have to re-home his dogs because she didn’t want them and he couldn’t move them into an apartment. And he would miss her two boys, his step-sons. He said that, given his age, they were the only children he’d ever be likely to have. We said our heartfelt goodbyes and went our separate ways.

Many moons later, as I stood parked at a red traffic light, I heard someone calling my name. I looked over and saw Doug running up to my car window. We beamed and screamed and hugged each other through my car window. ‘You were right, you were right!’ he said. I had no idea what he was talking about.

Apparently, on that last day at the field I’d told him that one never knows what life has in store and that things can take a very drastic change in as little as a year. I’d told him that there was every chance he could father his own child one day. And as it turned out, he’d met a great gal and they’d just had a baby boy!!! I cannot express the delight that went through me when he gave me that news. His face lit up in pure joy when he told me. He so deserved a happy ending.

I miss him.