J., I've always had little conversations with myself as well. My explanation for yours and mine are that we were each only children, and if you were like me, you were perfectly content with your life as a solitary child with your parents and extended family members being either present or doing their own thing nearby. Also, I think we are both cerebral people. We likely had many school and church chums but liked and do like being alone very much.
My son did the same thing as a child. I don't feel comfortable asking him about whether it lasted into adulthood.
Ray may be like this as well. I've never gestured when talking softly to myself, but in times of stress, I have cried a few tears, so that seems similar to me. I am not delusional, I am not hallucinating, it is a lifelong habit which likely started out as a toddler comforting herself ( or himself) or just working things out as growing children do.
My son did the same thing as a child. I don't feel comfortable asking him about whether it lasted into adulthood.
I do not know who Rebecca Snyder is, or if this is perhaps an untruth. I think we need to consider that not all people's " eyewitness accounts" are genuine, and that after a case becomes famous, so to speak, any later reports are not always honest. Some people crave public attention in a missing person case. However, I will take this at face value because a memory has just popped up that makes sense.
There's another practical possibility!
A way to communicate with a person who's not that far away. IDK the distance range, but we had friends who were an older couple who traveled quite often to distant places in the early 2000's. They had modern tiny versions of " walkie talkies" to talk to each other in a winery or other attraction when separated in a group.
I thought what they were doing was humorous until I thought about the time I got lost when I was alone in the catacombs at the Louvre ( in Paris, for those who might not recognize the name).
I would have given anything for a 2 way communication device in the ancient spooky huge underground space. It was totally deserted.
The entire walkie talkie fit in the palm. Very cute and worked well. It would be hard to see in use unless the person wanted it to be seen. My friends' set were blue metallic and did not look like cell phones at all. I think this needs to be considered.
Of course, both a burner phone or another comm. device points to a helping partner or friend, and walkaway. Not to murder or suicide, obviously.
