Some Positive Vibes and maybe a good story Prompt.
-- Anon Guest
Humans are not telepathic. They are -on average- not prescient. However, watching Human parentals with their young in a series of miraculous rescues causes many to suspect the Humans may be lying about this. So too do phrases like, "I can hear what you're thinking," which is a common Human expression to mean, "I am reading all your physical tells and can correctly estimate your thoughts."
Combined with peripheral vision, thin slicing, and pattern recognition, Humans do a very scary impersonation of telepaths and precogs. The fact that tests exist to determine the veracity of any extra-sensory abilities is proof enough of this. Even Humans are capable of fooling themselves into believing they have preternatural powers.
Consider a small Human familial unit. One parental and one extremely small child apparently just becoming accustomed to bipedal locomotion. The adult of the pair is attempting to conduct their daily business and the child is attempting to understand the world around them. Neither seem alarmed about anything in their environment.
Until a lively argument at a nearby drinking establishment gets too lively and a piece of furniture is launched in the rough direction of the very small, not very mobile child. The Parental, almost before the furniture is one quarter along its trajectory, drops their inanimate burden in favour of turning, reaching for, and grabbing their progeny's collar, actively snatching them out of the path of danger.
There was no apparent way the Parental could have known. It seems like an astonishing feat.
Now consider this in bullet time, with an insight into Human instincts, perception, and reflexes.
Moment zero: the default state. Though the parental conscious mind is on the tasks of the day, there is a sub-function running in the background, which is Keep Tabs On Youngling. There is constant monitoring of the child at all times. Keeping track of where the child is, and if they're taking anything to their mouth[1]. Whether or not said infant is being too noisy or, even more ominous, too quiet. At all times, this function is looking for things that may intersect the erratic path of their small and relatively squishy child.
This particular sub-function has already noted the lively argument in the nearby pub and noted it as a hazard vector. It, if not the full conscious mind of the parental, is watching.
Moment one: The argument gets a little too loud. The alert level rises, but since the situation is not-dangerous-yet, things continue. Half a plan of action forms, prioritising the safety of the child. This plan is a classic. Grab Baby And Bring Close. The plan is not necessary. Yet.
Moment two: Furniture launch. Sub-function goes to full alert, drawing conscious attention to the Big Heavy Thing Headed Towards Baby. The plan is a go.
Moment three: Parental takes action, dropping the least-priority objects in hand in favour of protecting their child.
Moment four: Parental grabs the nearest and most convenient handle, their child's collar, and retreats from danger, scooping the child into their arms in the process.
Moment five: The furniture lands, at last, in the place where the child had been moments before. As an added protocol, the Parental shields their infant with their own body. The last move was not necessary, but it was a sign of good parental instincts.
There was an extra handful of moments in which the full scope of the situation became clear to all observers, including those who insist on the existence of default Human telepathy and precognition. How else could the Human have been aware their progeny was in peril and acted before the danger was clear to all?
At least you know.
[1] At this stage in Human development, the additional qualifier "that they shouldn't have" is redundant.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / lucidwaters]
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