Spent the day with Karaj, Dev and Robert. We had lunch together and as we parked in front of the restaurant I complimented Karaj on his parking. He dismissed my comment, saying that there must be something wrong with him (to have parked so well). I told him that this is precisely the reason why people are wary of saying what they want to say to him. In the morning he had told me that he plans to do an exercise where everyone will be able to write down whatever it is they want to say to him because it was noticeable in Sicily that people were holding back from paying him compliments.
Because I had challenged Karaj about not accepting my compliment he thought about it and eventually told me that my words had earthed him. In doing this he was showing me that he had received my comment. By this he had avoided doing exactly what my dad does – whenever I compliment him he dismisses it.