Red Brick Syndrome

My friend Carolyn once told me that she had a case of Red Brick Syndrome (RBS). Apparently, her boyfriend coined the term after noticing how ecstatic she became over the simplest of things. Word on the street was that she was so overjoyed with life that something such as a pile of red bricks would send her into a tailspin of happiness.

As she was my roommate, I started observing her vigilantly for RBS tendencies. Little things like her favourite Mickey Mouse mug, fresh snow, and buses that arrived on time would literally throw her over the edge. Carolyn is now a successful lawyer who despite her hectic schedule, remains abnormally stress free. Though the theory is unproven, I believe that Carolyn's overall level of happiness and lack of stress is due to the astonishing rate at which RBS has presented itself in her life.

I’m not sure when it happened, but RBS also crept into my life. At first it was a flavoursome cup of piping hot coffee, solving a Sudoku, and getting free samples. The initial stages of RBS can be overwhelming as the victim does not know why they’re been chosen to run into such “luck”. As stage II RBS develops the symptoms become more severe; excitement over a perfectly rounded grapefruit, a super delicious bite of chicken shawarma, and the knowledge that Ben Mulroney has a receding hairline.

I want to know if RBS has surfaced in your life – has it?

Sure hope so!