On paper, they would not work out together.
Before Robbie, Davis had a proclivity for order. Too much so, we could argue. His cars, by the dozens, stretched across entire rooms, lined up by size and color. Every block tower built, a masterpiece to be revered; only dismantled when he could come to terms with the loss. An early collapse would result in a similar dismantling of his psyche. Davis enjoyed predictability, born with a deep respect for rules. Even his mischief was controlled.
Before Robbie, Davis had our unwavering attention, and a schedule curved to his whims.
Robbie’s encroachment into Davis’ regulated existence played out slowly. Her first year lacked many milestones, leaving few tactics for upheaval. As soon as she could reach things, she purposefully destroyed them. Books on shelves pulled to the ground, towers shoved mid-build. Drawings ripped in half. Her nickname became “The Destructor”. We couldn’t even fall back on her special needs as an excuse. Every mishap she caused or witnessed would incite her uproarious laughter. She’d navigate precariously towards a project with a mischievous glint in her eye. Robbie thrived on chaos, with an innate indignation for rules. Her mayhem was uninhibited.
Robbie absorbed attention, and her therapies soon dictated the flow of the day.
But, somehow, these two don’t just work, they thrive. Davis’ love for Robbie influenced his play. Her contagious, boisterous laugh when calamity struck motivated Davis to build, simply for Robbie to knock down. Robbie’s incapacity to take life seriously, even with her significant challenges, brought a levity to our lives Davis simply did not recognize before. Davis grew more resilient to change, more forgiving of disruption. He soon adopted a matching glint of mischief in his eye and a shared enjoyment of benevolent chaos.
While Robbie can’t speak in full sentences, is considered globally disabled, her ability to enlighten is prodigious. Most significantly, since Robbie arrived, she taught Davis, taught us, that broken is not a definition, it is a state of mind.
A Rare Relationship, A Rewarding Return
