Back on the older and now-vanished version of the Terebinth Message Board, some folks started asking whether Bert's condtion was supposed to fall somewhere in the Autistic Spectrum. I replied that it was, but then--once again proving how dangerous research can be to a writer--I started actually reading up on the various forms of autism. And whatever it is that Bert's describing here, it sure doesn't sound like autism to me.

     Fortunately, though, none of my characters knows any more about brain physiology than I do. So until it becomes necessary to pin a name on Bert's former mental state, everyone just nod sagely, and we'll move into the final stretch of "Sketches, volume 1." In other words: nothin' to see here, folks, nothin' to see...