So it looks like Desmond and Minkowski are both experiencing the "side effects" that Dan mentions. I guess we know why he couldn't come to the phone now.


If Richard was on the island when Ben was a kid, but then he had to LEAVE the island until enough time has passed and the purge was ready to be carried out by Ben was now old, only just a bit of time has passed for him off island. Maybe a couple of years. This is why he might have been let's say, 30 years old when he first met Ben, then left the island, he comes back when he's 32 or something, but it's been 20+ years for Ben.

THERE ARE MORE ANSWERS IN THE SNEAK PEEKS THEN IN THE ENTIRE 1ST SEASON!!! GET READY PPl!!!