A Clockwork Orange

Sometimes real life strikes me with a parable that I'll never forget, and I think I'll always remember to apply it to business and my creativity.  My family recently provided such a parable.

I have an autistic brother who is in his 20's and lives at home with my parents.  I'd say that his autism is quite severe.  He seems to always have an unshakable fixation on something.

Every time I speak with him on the phone he describes the shirt he's currently wearing.  Not in any great detail; you almost have to pry it out of him.  A typical conversation may go:
Me:  "Hi, brother, how are you?"
He:  "I have a blue."
Me:  "You're wearing a blue shirt today?"
He:  "Letter A"
Me:  "Your blue shirt has a letter A on it?"
He:  "Blue"
Me:  "Is the A blue or is the shirt blue?"
He:  "I have a blue"

It can go round and round in circles like this for a while.

His current fixation is "going to the Mexican restaurant".  Before even having breakfast, he'll go out to the driveway and fuss by the car until someone gives in and takes him to "The Mex": a simple little local Mexican restaurant with orange vinyl booth seats and so-so food.  As he's banging on the car shouting "Orange" and resisting any lures to come inside and do something else, it's clear that there is a total fixation.  Before too long, my parents give in and off he and my parents go to the restaurant.
This pattern has been going on for months.  When I talk to my mom on the phone and ask how brother is.  I hear the same ol' story about "the Mex".

Recently, a conversation with my mother came around to my brother's daily Mexican restaurant tantrum but this time the story had a fascinating twist.  After a particularly persistent stance in the driveway by my brother, shouting "Orange, Orange, ORANGE!", they arrive at "The Mex" wherein my brother immediately headed off to the restroom.  Since he is capable of doing that business by himself my parents didn't typically follow him in, but this time my frustrated mother goes in with him.  What she saw must've been a bit of a revelation and a bit shocking as well.  A happy brother points to the urinal stall and says "Orange".  Lo and behold there, guarding the patrons from foul odors and providing a target of relief, was an orange urinal cake which my brother promptly made use of.

It turns out that, for my brother, going to "The Mex" wasn't about getting food at all.  It was about relieving himself.  He was holding it until he got to the restaurant that had the fascinating facilities!

I instantly wondered how often people ask for 'X' when what they really desire is 'Y'.  When someone asks something of you, remember that the underlying need is likely to be more urgent and fundamental than what they can or will communicate.