It’s not every day you stumble upon someone with the ability to read others’ emotions, people who have a keen understanding of the human psyche.
And yet such is the case for Brian Monahan, a local Evanston, Illinois man. The 29-year-old’s special capabilities to read even the most subtle emotions first revealed themselves following an interaction with his girlfriend, Laura Bloom.
“I told Laura that we should go all out, like, really crazy and order a fuck ton of sushi for dinner. And she was totally into it. But then when the food got here and I told her I forgot my wallet at my place and she would need to pay for everything her entire demeanor changed, she barely touched the food, and when I asked her questions, she rolled her eyes and gave me one-word answers,” Monahan said.
What happened next was something out of a sci-fi movie, as Goldman tells it: The hairs on his arms stood on end. He felt an uneasy, queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He didn’t know how he knew, but he knew. Something was wrong.
“I can’t explain it. It’s like a sixth sense. I don’t know how, but I swear to God, I knew in that moment that she was mad at me.”
“It’s so crazy, with other guys, I’ve had to say ‘I’m mad at you,’ but Brian just…knew somehow,” Bloom said. “And one time after a stressful day at work I was crying and he asked ‘Is everything ok?’ almost like he knew I needed comforting. He actually paused his video game to pat me on the back for a few seconds.”
And these instincts don’t just apply to Monahan’s relationship; they extend to his work life, too.
“I forgot to wrap up an assignment before I left for the day, and my boss sent me an email in all caps saying to ‘get back here and finish’ otherwise I was in big trouble. I was like, oh this guy is mad. My friends were like ‘How do you know? He didn’t say he was’…I said, ‘Trust me, I know.’”
When asked if Bloom was open to sharing his skill with others, he replied, “Being empathic is something I just have. Can’t be taught. And I’d be scared to think of what might happen if others could tap into people’s emotions the way I can. With great power comes great responsibility.”
Hollywood is even getting in on the action, Bloom is reportedly in talks with Marvel to option his life story for a new addition to the Marvel Universe: “Empath Man.”