e more serious social phobias was his inability to touch other peoples hair. These and other eccentricities can not be directly pinpointed as to when they started, but it was sometime near the death of his brother Daniel. Before Daniels death he had often seen bright flashes that interfered with his vision. Tesla was afflicted by the same disorder. Apparently they were victims of violent photographic memories. This caused him trouble during childhood, but would prove invaluable later in life. Teslas father was a reverend of a small clergy. To enhance the boys mental capacity memory games. Tesla and his father would often play memory games. From the time of Teslas birth if was decided he would follow his fathers footsteps and join the clergy. Tesla did not share his fathers ideas about his future and let it be known. His father insisted though, until one day when it looked as if Tesla might die of a serious illness he had had for months. The sickly boy suggested that the idea of going to engineering school might help him recover. His father quickly enrolled him in the next semesters course and Tesla recovered within a week. Tesla turned out to be every teachers nightmare, constantly correcting or instantly answering the instructors questions. He studied twenty hours a day, was excelling greatly in school, and was enjoying himself, when all of the sudden his funds ran out. Tesla turned to gambling to help pay for school. He first tried his luck at cards, but wound up becoming deadly accurate with a pool cue. Tesla also took up drinking and smoking for a period of time to deal with stress. It was at this time that Tesla began really concentrating on inventing an alternating current. He understood direct current and knew there must be a more efficient way to transport electricity. One day while he was walking through a park reciting Gothes Faust to himself, it suddenly struck him. He immediately found a t...
