K-Pax (10 page)
I
mad
e
a
not
e
t
o
dwel
l
fo
r
a
whil
e
o
n
prot'
s
imaginar
y
lif
e
o
n
hi
s
imaginar
y
planet
,
hopin
g
o
f
course
tha
t
thi
s
woul
d
revea
l
somethin
g
abou
t
hi
s
backgroun
d
o
n
Earth-hi
s
geographica
l
origin
,
perhaps
,
-his occupation
,
hi
s
name!-s
o
tha
t
w
e
migh
t
b
e
abl
e
t
o
trac
k
dow
n
hi
s
famil
y
an
d
friend
s
an
d
thus
,
i
n
addition
t
o
allayin
g
thei
r
fear
s
abou
t
hi
s
healt
h
an
d
whereabouts
,
ge
t
t
o
th
e
underlyin
g
caus
e
fo
r
hi
s
bizarre
confabulation
.
I
wa
s
beginnin
g
t
o
fee
l
th
e
littl
e
tingl
e
I
alway
s
ge
t
a
t
th
e
beginnin
g
o
f
a
challengin
g
case,
whe
n
al
l
th
e
possibilitie
s
ar
e
stil
l
open
.
Wh
o
wa
s
thi
s
man
?
Wha
t
sort
s
o
f
alie
n
thought
s
fille
d
hi
s
head?
Woul
d
w
e
b
e
abl
e
t
o
brin
g
hi
m
dow
n
t
o
Earth?
Sessio
n
Two
I
hav
e
alway
s
trie
d
t
o
giv
e
m
y
examinin
g
roo
m
a
s
pleasan
t
a
n
atmospher
e
a
s
possible
,
wit
h
cheerful
paste
l
walls
,
a
fe
w
sylva
n
watercolors
,
an
d
soft
,
indirec
t
lighting
.
Ther
e
i
s
n
o
couch
:
M
y
patien
t
an
d
I
sit
facin
g
eac
h
othe
r
i
n
comfortabl
e
chairs
.
Ther
e
i
s
a
cloc
k
place
d
discreetl
y
o
n
th
e
bac
k
wal
l
wher
e
the patien
t
canno
t
se
e
it.
Befor
e
m
y
secon
d
intervie
w
wit
h
pro
t
I
wen
t
ove
r
Joyc
e
Trexler'
s
transcrip
t
o
f
th
e
firs
t
week's
sessio
n
wit
h
him
.
Mrs
.
Trexle
r
ha
s
bee
n
her
e
almos
t
foreve
r
an
d
i
t
i
s
commo
n
knowledg
e
tha
t
i
t
i
s
she
wh
o
reall
y
run
s
th
e
place
.
"Craz
y
a
s
a
loon
"
wa
s
he
r
uninvite
d
commen
t
a
s
sh
e
droppe
d
th
e
type
d
copy
ont
o
m
y
desk.
I
ha
d
looke
d
u
p
"tachyons
"
an
d
foun
d
tha
t
the
y
were
,
a
s
h
e
ha
d
indicated
,
entitie
s
travelin
g
faster
tha
n
light
.
The
y
ar
e
purel
y
theoretical
,
however
,
an
d
ther
e
i
s
n
o
evidenc
e
suggestin
g
thei
r
actua
l
existence.
I
ha
d
als
o
trie
d
t
o
chec
k
ou
t
th
e
"Zairese,
"
bu
t
couldn'
t
fin
d
anyon
e
wh
o
spok
e
an
y
o
f
it
s
mor
e
tha
n
two
hundre
d
dialects
.
However
,
althoug
h
hi
s
stor
y
seeme
d
perfectl
y
consistent
,
i
t
wa
s
n
o
les
s
problematic.
I
n
psychoanalysis
,
on
e
trie
s
t
o
becom
e
th
e
patient'
s
peer
.
Gai
n
hi
s
confidence
.
Buil
d
o
n
wha
t
grasp
h
e
stil
l
ha
s
o
f
reality
,
hi
s
residu
e
o
f
norma
l
thoughts
.
Bu
t
thi
s
ma
n
ha
d
n
o
gras
p
o
f
reality
.
Hi
s
alleged travel
s
aroun
d
th
e
worl
d
offere
d
som
e
sor
t
o
f
earthboun
d
experienc
e
t
o
pursue
,
bu
t
eve
n
tha
t
was
suspect-h
e
coul
d
hav
e
spen
t
tim
e
i
n
th
e
library
,
o
r
watche
d
travelogues
,
fo
r
example
.
I
wa
s
still
ponderin
g
ho
w
t
o
gai
n
som
e
kin
d
o
f
toehol
d
o
n
prot'
s
psych
e
whe
n
h
e
wa
s
escorte
d
int
o
m
y
examining
room.
