1000 Daggers by Frank C. Seitz

Author:Frank C. Seitz [Seitz, Frank C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780985243197
Publisher: Christopher Matthews Publishing
Published: 2013-04-30T06:00:00+00:00

* * *

“Yes,” said Frankie, “I really hope you see me ‘fitting in’ when you get to know me better.” Looking over Reardon’s shoulder toward Leonard Lundeen, she added, “I’d like to be part of his . . . ah, your group. Over there is a man to be proud of. Yes, indeed.” Lumpy said it all, she thought. All of us are just trying to survive.

15

Therapy by Degrees

LEONARD LUNDEEN WAS IMPROVING. A week ago he had taken the risk of emotionally jumping back into his group—he had embraced the two women who had triggered his swimming in deep water with a drowned son, an estranged daughter and Viet Cong tormentors. Through his more open battles with wounded memories, the group was becoming his group again. But, dear God, struggling with this psychological crap was getting old. Getting better. Getting worse. He’d settle for just getting bored for a while. Lundeen began to understand that getting better did not necessarily mean feeling better. Wounds that are healing often ache. Therapy was work, sometimes painful, but worth the price. Reentering his life was becoming frighteningly intoxicating. He liked it, scary or not. He liked it a lot.

Sonya and Brad continued to meet with him as part of the VA’s efforts to focus on chronic psychiatric patients and move them as quickly as possible into the community and outpatient care. As their work in the smaller group progressed, it became clear that one compelling reason for meeting was because they liked one another. The smaller group also afforded a more relaxed venue—less people, less pressure and more time for relationships to blossom.

Today, Sonya Layton’s face was a picture of relief as well as puzzlement. Her relief came from learning that her anal-retentive supervisor, Bertrand Shellenberger, had informed Brad Metzger, her co-therapist, that he would not be able to observe them today because he had a doctor’s appointment. Brad had remarked, in an irreverent moment, that he hoped it was with a proctologist. “Maybe he could loosen up the old turd.”

Her puzzlement had more to do with the man sitting in front of her, Leonard Lundeen. “I don’t understand, Lumpy. And, believe me, I’m not complaining, but why have you started talking?

“Because you started listening.”

“Come on, Lumps,” said Brad Metzger. “A lot of people have listened to you before. Why us?”

“You two are new at the therapy game. You don’t have the degrees. You haven’t learned the psychobabble well enough to substitute it for relating.”

Brad laughed. “Here I thought it was my good looks.”

“Sonya’s perhaps, but not yours.”

“Alright, you two,” she said. “Let’s get back to work.”

Lumpy shook his head. “Dear lady, we are working. Don’t you recognize therapy when you hear it?”

“You still maintain your are three-years-old.”

“Who cares, my dear? The world does not turn on my age.” Then Lumpy grinned at her slyly. “Go ahead, ask me the follow-up question.”

Sonya reddened. “Okay, Mr. Lundeen,” she asked with feigned formality, “What does the world turn on?”

“Sugar and spice, and people who are nice.

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