The Therapy Session

For Yos� contest!

 

I enter the room, dark cherry wood and a few pastel paintings of Monet staggered throughout. It feels formal and rather surreal, and I give the lady at the front desk my name. Standing for only a moment, she opens a side door and calls my name. Slowly I turn and walk toward the open door and her forced smile, a tan folder in her hands. Soon I stand in a room alone. Here I view pieces of art from Africa and Asia placed tediously on the dark oak shelves and desk.

 

YOU: Hello.  I hear your voice behind me and turn to see you there in the doorway. Holding the tan folder, you step in as if approaching a sedated animal.

 

ME:  Hello, Doctor.  All I can seem to utter seems so prescribed. You hold up the folder and pull down your glasses.

 

YOU: Mr. Forman? My eyes roll and I turn back to look at a figure of a man holding a spear on your desk.

 

ME: It’s FROMAN. I say this with a disgust clinging to the back of my throat.

 

YOU: Please excuse me. It must have been typed incorrectly. You say this matter of factly, but I don’t turn to look.

 

ME: It wouldn’t be the first time.

 

YOU: Do you feel that people do this on purpose?  Misspell your name or mispronounce it?  Like they have it in for you? You begin to write notes, scribbling quite quickly at every word I say.

 

ME: Oh, I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?  Aren’t you the one getting $100.00 per hour to help me out?

 

YOU: I see. Does your insurance not cover the cost? You continue to write, glasses down on your nose.

 

ME: Does it matter? I finally turn and look at you standing still only a few steps from the door.

 

YOU: Do you know why you’re here?  Why they recommended you to come to me?

 

ME: I believe it was for anger issues, or something like that. I turn back and pick up the little man from the desk to look more closely.

 

YOU: Please don’t pick up my things. Put that back in place. Right there. On the desk. For the first time you enter the room and approach me, looking awkwardly at the figure in my hand.

 

ME: You have a problem with me picking up a piece of pottery?  A bit angry maybe?  I say this smirking at your anxious stare, though I set it down. You move closer and move it back into its perfect spot.

 

YOU: These are special things to me. Very special. You seem to be breathing rather quickly, like your writing.

 

ME: And then what of me?  Am I a special thing to you?  Trying to fit me on your desktop, perhaps?  At this, you step back slowly. Staring at my folder, though glancing up cautiously at me.

 

YOU: All my clients are considered special cases. You write more, but don’t take your eyes off me.

 

ME: I’m a special case, am I?  Gives me loads of confidence in the system.

 

YOU: Possibly, we can take this up another time. You seem rather agitated by the process. You move toward the door, backing up, not turning from me.

 

ME: Isn’t that why I’m here, because I get agitated? 

 

YOU: That is correct, Mr. Froman. But sometimes a setting can deter the benefit of our meeting.

 

ME: I hadn’t noticed. I’ve rather enjoyed our conversation. Would love to see the notes you’ve written.

 

YOU: Those are private, though we can discuss things later. You close the tan folder and step outside the door.

 

ME: Always later. Yes, the story of my life. I say this smiling, feeling at ease leaving this room.

 

YOU: Thank you for your time today. We’ll set up another appointment soon.

 

ME: And thank you for showing me I may not need that other appointment. Aren’t we all simply in need of a bit more humanity in our lives? Finding the right place?

 

YOU: Good day, to you. This is said as you walk away, and I hear your footsteps echo off down the marble hallway. I raise my voice just a bit to reach you.

 

ME: And good day to you, doctor!

Reviews

[Lilly]

this is incedibly well written and the structure of it is so good too - the picture you chose fits perfectly - adds even more depth to the story - really love this- great work

[Tracie Skarbo]

I liked this, the dialogue was strong and flowed nicely. If I was the main character I would have hated her jotting down the notes, while not making eye contact, it is so disrespectful. I love how you have the character coming to his own conclusions about who is the best judge of his character and why he feels the way he does. I for one am of like mind. I believe that if you sit with yourself and distance yourself from ego you can find all the answers you are looking for. Thanks for posting this!

[Salvatore Buttaci]

Congratulations for winning the therapist contest!

[Calypso]

This was nice. I like the set up and the way the client acted. All though I feel like the doctor was being prideful.

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

Ok first off the thing bout the last name cracked me up cause for years I had issues with people calling me Dave, Doug or Dan so I know that one really well... the whole thing was funny and yet powerful, talking things out with yourself you can learn a lot.

[Jinx's Heart]

Very cleverly written. I was cheering for the patient the whole time. I HATE psychologists and psychiatrists.

[Julia Hollywood]

This was really good, but the dialogue seemed like it was trying to hard to be "proper."

[deeps]

This is awesome, I love the whole set up and the read.
Truth in this as well, found it with a trace of humor as well
Filled with emotion, I really enjoyed this write.