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It had been two weeks since Dr. Elliot had recommended to one of his anatomy classes that it could be beneficial to learn about other kinds of insides. The class learned that he had not meant the insides of nonhuman animals, but rather nonphysical insides that humans have. Jane decided to take a world religions class, Peter took philosophy and Juan took a class called Intro to Psychology. Juan had been finding this class very helpful as to explain what certain human behaviors meant.
A few days after that, Dr. Elliot had recommended picking up a “hobby.” Juan did not know what that was, but Dr. Elliot explained it to be a leisure activity that one does for personal enjoyment. When Juan asked what activities count as a hobby, Dr. Elliot suggested that he could search for the information by using a computer in the school’s library.
“I’m sure they’d love to have you go there, you put a lot of effort into learning. Just keep any drinks or beverages away from the computers and you should be fine,” Dr. Elliot told him.
“I see,” Juan replied. “Where is the library?”
Dr. Elliot paused and his face scrunched slightly in what Juan’s psychology teacher said was confusion. He muttered, “You kids really have only been going to my class..” before giving Juan the directions to the library.
Juan thanked him and walked to the library. It wasn’t very far, it only took Juan about ten minutes to get there. When Juan arrived at the library, he looked around and saw the computers. He went over to one of them and saw that they required a password from a library staff member.
Juan went to the desk that stood at the front of the library and recognized the person working there. The student was in Juan’s psychology class, they sat two rows in front of him. They wore one of the pins that Dr. Elliot said were part of the uniform for certain jobs. It read, “Mark” followed by the words “They/Them.” Juan found that pin very helpful to know how to correctly refer to Mark. “May I be told the password for the computers so that I may use one?”
“Sure can do,” Mark replied, looking down at something on the desk. Juan wasn’t entirely sure what that meant, but it seemed to him that he’d be able to obtain the password to the computers. After a moment, Mark looked back up and said, “Today’s password is ‘7498L12’, do you think you can remember that?”
“I will be able to remember the password. Thank you, Mark.” Juan said with a nod that his psychology teacher said conveyed understanding. His psychology teacher had also told him that saying people’s names while talking to them conveyed respect. Juan believed that he was becoming very good at communicating like a human. “I appreciate your pin, it is very informative on how to refer to you.”
“No problem, and uh, thanks,” Mark replied while smiling. It wasn’t a smile that Juan had learned about, but Juan assumed that it was conveying positive emotions.
Juan walked over to the computers and sat down at a chair that was in front of one of them. Juan entered the password into the computer and went to search online for a list of hobbies that humans do. The first website he was on was very helpful. Archery interested him, but there were no classes at the school for archery. The next hobby that caught his eye was poetry. A student in his psychology class had described similar words as having the quality of prettiness. Juan found himself agreeing with that assessment.
After looking at the classes that the school offered the class Literary Interpretation: Interpreting Poetry. Juan decided to add that class to his schedule in order to follow Dr. Elliot’s advice. To prepare for the class, Juan decided to read a poetry book. He found one that was thin with an orange cover. He opened the book and read some of the poems. He didn’t understand the meaning of them, but he could confirm that poetry was pretty.
The fifth poem that he read, Love and Friendship by Emily Brontë, confused him the most.
Love is like the wild rose-briar,
Friendship like the holly-tree—
The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms
But which will bloom most constantly?
The wild rose-briar is sweet in spring,
Its summer blossoms scent the air;
Yet wait till winter comes again
And who will call the wild-briar fair?
Then scorn the silly rose-wreath now
And deck thee with the holly’s sheen,
That when December blights thy brow
He still may leave thy garland green.
Juan did not recognize the word love. He didn’t know what it meant. He gathered from the context that it might wither and die like a flower, and that it is positive. It was also used comparatively to friendship, meaning that it has something to do with relationships with others. Juan still didn’t exactly know what the word love meant. He decided he should ask Mark, as they were a human who worked at the library that the poetry book lived in.
Juan got up to go back to the desk where Mark was. When Juan got to the desk, he asked, “Hello Mark. In a book I was reading I saw a word that I did not recognise. Could you tell me what its definition is?”
“No problem, what’s the word?” Mark replied easily.
“Love.”
Mark’s face scrunched in confusion, “You don’t know what love means?”
“No I do not.” Juan clarified. Perhaps Mark didn’t hear him the first time.
Mark’s face stayed scrunched for a moment before they answered Juan’s question, “Love is kind of like.. When you care a lot about someone and feel compassion towards them. You listen to what they say and respect them. It can be platonic, romantic, and many other forms. I don’t think I’m explaining this very well, I’ll look it up.”
Mark grabbed a phone out of their pocket. Juan did not know that you could search for the definitions of a word with a phone, he would keep that in mind for the future. After about 15 seconds, Mark looked back up at Juan. “Google said the definition is ‘an intense feeling of deep affection.’ I hope that helps you.”
“It does. Thank you Mark.” Mark smiled in response. Juan thought that Dr. Elliot would think that their smile was very human-like. “You have a very accurate smile,” Juan complimented.
Mark chuckled and smiled wider. Juan could see very clearly that their smile was very accurate, as well as their laugh.
“By the way, I didn’t catch your name,” Mark said. Jane had asked Dr. Elliot what this phrase meant earlier in the week, so Juan knew Mark was asking for his name. Juan decided to make a joke off of the phrase.
“I did not throw my name. It is Juan Pérez.” Juan replied, feeling a smile on his face. He hadn’t meant to have one. This must be how it is for humans.
“Alright mister funny man, swing down by the library whenever you want. It’s been fun talking to you,” Mark replied, still smiling.
“What does the phrase ‘swing down by’ mean?” Juan asked. He was liking asking Mark questions about human behavior.
“It means about the same thing as come to or go there,” Mark answered.
“I see. Thank you, Mark.” Juan said before leaving the library to go to his Anatomy class. On the walk there, he thought about what Mark had told him. To better understand the word love, Juan decided to apply it to his own life, as his psychology teacher told him that humans often do. Using both definitions that Mark gave him, Juan realized that he could apply it to several people in his life. Juan decided to tell the newest person on the list of sentient beings that he loves, just in case love was as hard to tell from the outside as it was from the inside. Juan figured that he should say it before it withers, though Mark’s definitions had said nothing about love withering Juan thought that he was better safe than sorry.
As Juan walked into the anatomy classroom, he looked around for Dr. Elliot. He quickly spotted him and strode over to him. “Dr. Elliot, according to the definitions I have found of love, I love you.”
“You love me?” Dr. Elliot looked surprised, but was also smiling.
“Yes, I love you.”