Welcome back. Dr. Peterson has had a good night's sleep and she is ready for another day in the "psycho" ward. If you're just now tuning in, these therapy sessions began on Alfred Hitchcock's birthday on Monday, August 13.
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August 15 – 11 a.m.
Re.: Losing Control.
Dr.
Peterson: “Good morning, group. We have a new
member joining us today.”
[John Ballantine takes a seat and flashes a tender smile at
me, which does not go unnoticed by the group. I blush.]
Dr.
Peterson: “John has come a long way since
regaining his memory. He is now trying to deal with the source of his amnesia.”
Bob
Rush [snickering]: “I’d like to know the source of his
cure. [giggles from among the patients.]
[I hope that no one in group has seen Spellbound, but I realized I’m is being naïve.
I will have to deal with it, and have already made it clear to John that I
will show no favoritism.]
Brandon
[chuckling]: “Are you going to take each of us away
to your shrink-tank in the woods where you took John?”
Marnie:
“Shut up, Brandon. If Dr. Petersen wants to bring her crazy boyfriend to
the group, that’s her business. Besides, Mark was a great help to me when I
couldn’t face my childhood trauma. Go ahead, Dr. Peterson.”
Dr.
Peterson: “Actually, John is now my husband.”
Brandon:
“Well, that wasn’t made clear in the movie, now was it?”
Lady
Henrietta: “Unlike what most people believe, I think
most of Hitch’s movies have happy endings. Just like in Spellbound. Isn’t that’s right, Dr. Petersen?”
Charlie:
“I wouldn’t go that far, Lady Henrietta. You think you can just hide
behind your husband’s money and title and that big estate in Australia?”
Brandon: “What are you complaining about, Oakley? For purpose of that
story, you survived being pushed from a moving train.”
Norman [whispering]: “My mother complained
a lot. I was not a good son.”
Dr.
Peterson: “Well, let’s get started, shall we? Who
would like to go first?”
[No one speaks, but I’m comfortable with
the silence. Norman picks at a thread on his sock. Lady Henrietta kneads her
hands in her lap. Scottie takes out his handkerchief and wipes his forehead.
Marnie pouts, Bob smirks, Charlie glares at Lady Henrietta.]
Brandon: “I have an idea. Why don’t we divide the room into those who
hate women and those who don’t?"
Dr.
Peterson: “And which side would you be on, Brandon?”
Charlie
[glaring at Brandon]: “We can only guess. Maybe we should
divide into those who love men and those who don’t. Let’s not dance around the
obvious, like our great director did. We all know about your relationship with
your roommate Phillip.”
[I feel control slipping through my
fingers.]
[C. P., MD]
Stay turned tomorrow. It will take more
than a couple of aspirin and a good night’s sleep for Dr. Peterson to tackle
these patients in the morning.