We Are Autistic

We are autistic, when we fail to greet our neighbors, because we are selfish, indifferent or lazy. We are autistic, when we mistreat our doorman, because employees do not deserve our consideration. We are autistic, when we turn on the sound, as high as the twin towers, because we don’t care if it will kill the neighbors’ peace. We are autistic, when we throw garbage on the street, because the street belongs to everybody, and their business is not our business. We are autistic, when we don’t call our parents, because they became old, and their place is the house of oblivion. We are autistic, when we steal from the town’s government, because public money belongs to everybody, and everybody is nobody. We are autistic, when we forget our teachers, even though they will never forget us. We are autistic, when we despise our children, who, in turn, will, someday, despise us too. We are autistic, when we impose our will on our spouses, as we place a saddle on our horses. We are autistic, when we become deaf to the population, because their outcry threatens our fictitious peace. We are autistic, when we pretend to be policemen, but act like bandits, and, after a while, we no longer know who we really are. We are autistic, when we pay our doctors the salary of indignity, but demand, in return, a five-star treatment. We are all autistic, here in Brazil, paraplegic of the soul, and, moreover, blind, deaf and mute, since, in action or in omission, nobody hears, nobody sees, nobody speaks…