...Joaquin left those walls several months later.
"Entombed by concrete and double locked doors that crash violently when they are closed. Noises echo, but none are intended for him. He will sit just as long as his anxiety will allow him. I position myself strategically in the corner so I don't disrupt the 'flow.' I want to blend in with the environment. Sit and watch and wait. The staff are young, and smart, and well meaning, and dulled. I am not unwelcome which certainly doesn't mean I am welcome. I am a glitch and a reminder. He sits in this room with 7 of his closest friends waiting for the next prompt...'Joaquin sit down.' As if to silence my judgments I am told that he had already finished all of the stuff he loves doing right before I arrived. Hmm...by 9:45am he was done with the best part of his day, we only need to make it until 3:30pm. 'Joaquin, sit down.' This will fill the next 5 hours and 45 minutes. 'Joaquin, sit down.'" ~Beth Gallagher