We Are Hard-Wired To Seek Affection

"Of all the rotten apples I've come across in my life...you are on the top!"
-James Storm
as Gerard Stiles
Dark Shadows, episode 1123

During my JetBlue flight into New York on April 15, 2009 I was watching the National Geographic channel. There was a program about feral children. A feral child (or wild child) is a human child who has lived isolated from human contact from a very young age, and has no (or little) experience of human care, loving or social behavior, and, crucially, of human language.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_child

There was story in particular about a little girl named Oxana Malaya who was left with dogs since the age of three. Her parents neglected her because they were alcoholics and she lived with the dogs until age 8 (found in 1991). The study learned that the brain depends critically on experiences. She learned to act and respond just like a dog!


During a 2001 interview after she'd been in an orphanage and had come to learn some English she said, "I like to run around like a dog. It is my nature." I found a wikipedia link that provides more on the story. Amazing!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxana_Malaya

Here is some video of Oxana. She was born in November 1983 and as of 2006 (at the age of 23) Oxana was living at a home for the mentally handicapped, where she helps look after the cows in the Clinic's farm. She has expressed that she is happiest when among dogs.
http://vodpod.com/watch/1330499-oxana-la-ni%C3%B1a-perro?pod=eldigital

The most interesting factoid while watching the National Geographic story was to be reawakened to the fact that humans are 'hard-wired' to seek affection...no matter what.

Twenty-five years ago today:

April 25, 1984
Wednesday

At lunchtime I shared a liverwurst sandwich with Tony and Helen. I picked up my slide prints at FOX Photo. Then they walked with me to my parking lot so that I could place the prints in my glove compartment.

During my last break I telephoned Chris Cordellos at the US Coast Guard Base in Humboldt County.
"I am cutting lawns today," he said in a sorrowful tone.

He could not speak very long. I didn't let it distress me. It kind of pisses me off when I call him and he doesn't say much of anything though. I finally got fed up during this telephone call. I politely and blatantly 'hung up'.

I went to The Sperm Bank and made another "deposit" I wonder what happened to the check they were supposed to pay me?

I received a $45 check from the State of California. Whoopee!

My white football shorts arrived from the International Male catalog order.

"You got a call from Chris Cordellos at about six o'clock," my brother, Tony, announced.
I must have just missed that call because I walked in the house at 6:05PM.

There was no bicycle riding tonight. I simply felt lazy. It looked so windy outside, too. I ate dinner, showered, slept, watched "DYNASTY" and called Helen.
We chatted a short while about Helen's career competition (a black woman named Bianca). She made my tummy groan when she mentioned the homemade lasagna that she had made this evening.
"We might be celebrating at the 'Maya Azetca' restaurant on Friday. It's David's last day at the Oakland RASC," Helen announced, knowing I would not be too thrilled.

I gathered several photographic prints to mail to McKinleyville (for Chris and Barb). I am betting they will surely appreciate my thoughtfulness in sending these photos from their visit to the Bay Area.