When LINUS MET ALPERT by Dutch Maynard

Forgive me if anyone has already mentioned this in a previous theory. I don't have time to look through EVERY theory on the site, so I may have missed something. Apologies if I did.

For some time I have wondered (as I'm sure many of you have) how or why when Richard met Ben for the first time [season 3 flashback], Richard was dressed in dirty 'others garb?' Their meeting took place in the 70's right? Remember when Richard met and spoke with Sawyer in the 70's? [season 5] He was dressed exactly as his dresses now (clean cut safari-chic). Why would he choose to get a haircut, take a shower and cut his hair out of the blue?

After watching this season's 'Ab Aeterno' I think I have an inkling as to what was going on. I think the Richard we saw meeting young Ben - was actually the MIB. Please bear with me:

Before seeing Richard, Ben saw his mother. Well, Ben's mother is dead. Unless we just haven't been told, Ben doesn't have the ability to see the dead, like Hugo. Couldn't Ben's mother have been a manifestation of the Monster? Also, When the Black Rock crashed on the island [ab aeterno] after slaughtering most of the crew, Smokie scanned Richard, possibly allowing him to utilize Richard's form.

I know what you're all thinking: MIB can only copy/take the form of the dead. Where was that ever written in stone?

It seems to make sense that MIB would attempt to manipulate Ben as early as possible. Why not starting out as a child? The Others could have always had an interest in Ben and felt he may be special and MIB sought to capitalize on their belief.

This could also explain so much more about "the lists" and so forth - the MIB could have been making Richard's group of Others do his bidding to ultimately free him from the island, all along. (I just don;t have time to finish the theory)

This may be why when Ben asked Jacob before stabbing him, "What about me?" Jacob responded by saying "what about you?" Because he never gave Ben ANY specific instructions or lists.