Suffering for one's art.

Tiarnan, five, has a passion for drama. It seeps into every aspect of his life. On a daily basis, he transforms himself, or tries on different personae to see how they feel.

At the dinner table, a few days ago, Tiarnan sat on his chair dressed in a rather strange manner. He wore a hooded top and a cowboy hat. This created a rather interesting look: a cross between a modern day hoodlum and a latter day cowboy.

There was a little frown on his elfin face. Something seemed to be bothering him.

“It is hot.”, he observed, intensely, “but these clothes are cool.”

Indeed, that day was one of the hotter ones that Kuala Lumpur is known for – and in the local context, where every day is a sweltering one, that is saying something.

Notably, however, he didn’t move to take off his extra clothes. The role was more important than his personal suffering. So, other than that single remark, Tiarnan didn’t mention his suffering again. He persevered with his “performance” – and sat, uncomplainingly, until all got up to leave the table.

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The Amazing Super Moths of Singapore.

This morning, my wife and I took a taxi together.

The first thing we did on entering was to open the windows - on both sides. Why, you might wonder? Well, there was this overpowering smell...no... stench is a better word - of napthalene - otherwise known as moth balls. There wasn't just a hint of moth ball in there - it was as if the whole car had been made of the stuff.

Curiously, the taxi driver was oblivious to the chemical aroma in his cab. He stared straight ahead while we reached for the windows, and virtually wretched as we did so. Indeed by the end of the journey, despite the windows being open, Syahidah was complaining of feeling unwell, owing to the smell.

Now, many a driver is proud of his car and wishes to preserve it from harm. So you might feel that while you may not agree with the extent of his moth protection, you might agree with his intent and understand his concern.

That's all very well - there is just one odd thing about all this. The entire interior of his car was plastic. There was nothing there for a moth to eat.

So, the first thing I observed on entering the taxi, was the appalling smell of moth balls. The second thing I noticed was that there was nothing for the moths to eat - inside the plastic cab interior.

Thus, the third thought I had was that our driver couldn't be completely alright in the head. Eccentricities come in various shapes and sizes - but I had never seen anyone prepare so fully for the eventuality that his car might suddenly change into something edible for moths (well, moth larvae, anyway) - and then get eaten.

That is one taxi journey neither of us shall ever forget.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and nine months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and two months, and Tiarnan, nineteen months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)