Rawdon Christie had a bizarre response to a viral video on Breakfast last Friday. Luckily Duncan Greive was there to shoddily capture the whole thing on his cameraphone.
A man stands alone on a crowded thoroughfare. Alone, as we all are in this world. Alone, but for the dozens of people passing every minute. And the disease which has driven him to this moment.
He stands alone, with his arms outstretched, and a sign reading ‘I am HIV positive. Touch me’ alongside him. At first, people walk past the man, casting furtive glances his way. Perhaps unnerved by the message. Perhaps unnerved by the cameras. In time, a few realise what’s required. They walk across and start touching him. Tentatively at first, then more emphatically. First a trickle, then a torrent. Like the tears that roll down his cheeks.
It is beautiful, and very affecting, which Breakfast recognised that when they plucked it out of the internet’s endless stream of trending videos to air last Friday morning. YouTube is a beast which needs feeding; so is Breakfast. When they cut back to the studio, Ali Pugh is visibly moved, recognising immediately the resonance of the images, their power which transcends language. Then it’s time for Rawdon to weigh in.
You might sensibly have many questions after watching such footage. But Rawdon Christie wants to know if he’s blind. He watched the same video we all did, and his big takeaway was: is he blind? Because he has his eyes closed. And, as Rawdon well knows, when you have your eyes closed, you can’t see. So… is he blind? Because his eyes are closed. So… Blind?
Watch the original video below: