If only a shy boy with a shy mind had a chance.

If Only a Shy Boy With a Bright Mind Had a Chance

Bryan Ramos is a fifteen year old with dark, black hair. He is about 5 feet and 5 inches tall with a brown burnt skin tone. He wears glasses and speaks to you as if he were a 30 year old man. Who would think that behind a shy boy with a nerdy reputation would be such a creative mind that makes you really think about life? His creative mind is unique and that’s one thing that makes him different from others.

I remember asking Bryan if I could interview him. With a confused face his response was,  “Why, why me?” and all I said was, “Because you’re unique and I would love for others to see it.” All I saw was a bright smile on his face. We planned it out and were both anxiously waiting for the day to come. It finally came so we both sat down at the library and giggled for a minute; he was a little nervous. I first asked him for his full name, and he looked at me with a “Foreal! Girl you know my name!” with a funny face. I proceeded with the interview and exclaimed, “Bryan Ramos, Why that name? What does that name mean to your parents? He stared me straight in the eyes and with concern, told me that he is unable to give the reason. I asked why and said his mother wants it a secret, he confusedly mentioned that he wanted to know her reason to keep it a  secret. We sweat it out for a minute. I asked him to tell me about his earliest memory and he giggled, thought about it for a minute and said, “Preschool!”  Then, he kept going with, “It was night outside. I was playing with a doll house, I also had a jacket and there was a lot of people around me. Preschool was important to me because I felt at home; always had someone to listen and help me.”

Bryan’s parents went their own ways when he was only about 10 years old and to him, his mother was the one who took the wheel and made sure Bryan had a good life. On the other hand, his dad does care about him but at this point, it is a lot harder because his parents are no longer together. I asked him how he felt about that, and he didn’t respond at all. Then, he said, “I only wonder what it would be like if they were still together.” An emotional moment hit after he said this. I thought it was a good chance to ask about his childhood, he looked down at his hands and said that “ I wasn’t born at a hospital, I was actually born at my grandma’s house. It was a surprise. I said “really” and he then said “yes, we lived far from the hospital, it was a rural village and so we wouldn’t have made it on time”. Growing up Bryan says that he didn’t really have a childhood, he had to grow up fast, and he was very mature at a young age. When I asked him why, he said he didn’t know; he said he wonders that everyday. His childhood was constantly being told what to do and what not to do. Everything had to be done like an adult would have done it. To him, he is still a kid; he still wants to run around and feel free, but there is always that one person who kills his vibe. I later asked him with a big smile on my face what made him unique from others and he starts thinking and says “that’s a hard one” and leads it by asking the question again but to himself “what makes me unique from others, hmm what makes me unique is that I think outside the box, while other people what they do is listen and don’t debate with passion, people don’t care nowadays people go one path all together, but I don’t I follow what I believe is better”. I then asked Bryan what was his favorite memory and he said he didn’t have a favorite memory. He did have a sad but then again a happy moment. The happy moment in his life that he will never forget was when he was in a car crash. He was left with bruises but also with marks that he was afraid to show. His self esteem went down, he feared that others would laugh at him, and cried because he couldn’t take it anymore. One day his best friend encouraged him and told him that it didn’t matter the way he looked or the way people viewed him he will always have a bestfriend that he will always be there for him. That brought Bryan’s self esteem up. Bryan’s saddest moment was when he lost his pet hamster; he genuinely teared up when he talked about it. For Bryan, that hamster was not only a pet to him, it was his friend, maybe even family to him. We then moved on and I asked him who has been the biggest influence in his life, his answer was not what I expected it to be. He said his mind was his biggest influence in life. He talks to himself and exchanges ideas on his own. He’s never had someone who was willing to sit down and listen to his problems and give him some advice so he did himself. Growing up he felt that people viewed him as a smart guy who was not trying to be better than others, but yes be the best. I also asked him if he felt different than others in his childhood and he said “All the time, maybe it was because I always saw all my other classmates with both their parents and then there it was me with either my mom or my dad”, he then looks down to his thighs with disappointment.  

We then walked and talked and I asked him what did he want to be when he grew up while he was a child and now that he is a teenager and he responded, “I wanted to be a scientist of technology, I wanted to make the future; Now I want to pursue a career as a video game director. I want to be the boss, and video games always caught my attention, so now it’s becoming a part of me.” As I saw his smile and his joy about the question, I then proceeded with questions that would have his mind thinking a little faster. I asked him about his favorite books, and he replied, “Science because I like to know how things work. Space Is about the nature of human and I wonder what’s out there and lastly Technology because It tells you what is out there and keeps your mind thinking of what technology can really do, how powerful it really is.” I then asked him what were his favorite movies and he once again said space, technology and science. He also added movies where it involves traveling, survival, or more abstract movies. Very interesting, Now Who are your heroes? “Myself” he replied, I then asked what about your mom? He said, “People might hate me for this but no one not even my own mother is my hero, I got myself and I take care of myself. Later I asked Bryan if he could be something else in his life what would he be and he said, “A person, thing or object that is watching everything.” He believes that Aliens or any other powerful thing is watching us and controlling us and not God. He doesn’t have a belief in any religion – just the belief of being surrounded by aliens and being controlled. I was very curious of what he believes in and made a separate conversation, we even discussed it with a teacher because believing in religion or God and believing in aliens are two different things. We had our debate and question for each other and let me tell you that bryan defended himself very well. I was actually pretty shocked. I later asked him If he could change something from the past what would it be? he said “ I would change my existence, like before I was born” I asked him Why and he said “ Because I want to see how it happens, how I die and how it feels.”

Bryan is most proud of himself and only himself. I then later asked him how would he be liked to remembered and he looks down and says “ I wouldn’t like to be remembered, I want to be erased from history, I don’t want to be in people’s memories, I want to  live in secret”. That’s tough I said, But kept it going and asked What’s one thing about you that few people know and he looks up and looks me in the eyes and says “ I can’t tell you”. Why I said and he just said I just can’t. Bryan kept looking at the time and I asked him if he had to go and just giggled and said “No, not at all. I was just remembering that we had said it would last a good fifteen minutes but it’s been two hours and honestly I never thought I would sit down and talk to anyone about my life.” I smiled and said “well you have an interesting life, time passed and we didn’t look back or forward because we’re at the peak of your heart and you’re bringing sad, happy memories that you never had in mind that would be said ever again but now those memories are taking you somewhere deep down your heart. That it has made you forget the world around you. We have shared tears, laughter and so many more, you have a big heart Bryan and I’m very happy to be able to listen to your story”. We ended with a big emotional hug and a thank you.

In conclusion, Bryan is a smart boy with a breathtaking life. If you gave him a chance and listened and observed what he does then you would understand. Honestly, you would love to be his friend. He is not a shy boy, people just don’t like what they see from the outside, but once you do, I promise you, you won’t turn around.