K-Pax (2 page)
Whe
n
i
t
arrive
d
I
wa
s
stil
l
bogge
d
dow
n
b
y
administrativ
e
duties
,
an
d
a
fe
w
mor
e
day
s
wen
t
by
befor
e
I
foun
d
i
t
lyin
g
o
n
m
y
des
k
unde
r
a
pil
e
o
f
personne
l
an
d
budge
t
folders
.
Wit
h
renewe
d
dismay
ove
r
th
e
prospec
t
o
f
anothe
r
patien
t
I
quickl
y
rea
d
throug
h
th
e
chart
.
I
t
summarize
d
a
puzzlin
g
history
indeed
.
Althoug
h
ou
r
"spaceman
"
wa
s
quit
e
luci
d
an
d
articulate
,
an
d
demonstrate
d
a
stron
g
awareness
o
f
tim
e
an
d
place
,
h
e
wa
s
unabl
e
t
o
provid
e
an
y
reliabl
e
informatio
n
a
s
t
o
hi
s
actua
l
origi
n
and
background
.
I
n
short
,
h
e
wa
s
no
t
onl
y
delusional
,
bu
t
a
tota
l
amnesia
c
a
s
well
!
I
calle
d
Bil
l
an
d
aske
d
him
t
o
mak
e
arrangement
s
fo
r
th
e
transfe
r
o
f
thi
s
nameles
s
man
,
wh
o
calle
d
himsel
f
"prot
"
no
t
capitalized-to
m
y
ow
n
institution.
H
e
arrive
d
th
e
firs
t
wee
k
i
n
May
,
an
d
a
preliminar
y
sessio
n
wit
h
hi
m
wa
s
schedule
d
fo
r
th
e
ninth
,
a
Wednesday
,
a
t
th
e
tim
e
I
usuall
y
se
t
asid
e
t
o
prepar
e
fo
r
m
y
regula
r
"Principle
s
o
f
Psychiatry
"
lectur
e
at
Columbi
a
University
.
W
e
me
t
a
t
weekl
y
interval
s
fo
r
severa
l
month
s
thereafter
.
Durin
g
tha
t
perio
d
I
develope
d
a
n
extraordinar
y
fondnes
s
an
d
regar
d
fo
r
thi
s
patient
,
a
s
th
e
followin
g
narrative
,
I
trust
,
will
show.
Althoug
h
th
e
result
s
o
f
thes
e
session
s
hav
e
bee
n
reporte
d
i
n
th
e
scientifi
c
literature
,
I
a
m
writin
g
this
persona
l
accoun
t
no
t
onl
y
becaus
e
I
thin
k
i
t
migh
t
b
e
o
f
interes
t
t
o
th
e
genera
l
publi
c
bu
t
also
,
to
paraphras
e
Dr
.
Arieti
,
becaus
e
o
f
wha
t
h
e
taugh
t
m
e
abou
t
myself.
Sessio
n
One
M
Y
Firs
t
impression
,
whe
n
h
e
wa
s
brough
t
int
o
m
y
examinin
g
room
,
wa
s
tha
t
h
e
wa
s
a
n
athlete-a
footbal
l
playe
r
o
r
wrestler
.
H
e
wa
s
a
littl
e
belo
w
averag
e
i
n
height
,
stocky
,
dark
,
perhap
s
eve
n
swarthy.
Hi
s
hai
r
wa
s
thic
k
an
d
coal-black
.
H
e
wa
s
wearin
g
sky-blu
e
corduro
y
pants
,
a
deni
m
shirt
,
an
d
canvas
shoes
.
I
didn'
t
se
e
hi
s
eye
s
fo
r
th
e
firs
t
fe
w
encounters
;
despit
e
th
e
relativel
y
sof
t
lighting
,
h
e
alway
s
wore dar
k
glasses.
I
aske
d
hi
m
t
o
b
e
seated
.
Withou
t
a
wor
d
h
e
proceede
d
t
o
th
e
blac
k
viny
l
chai
r
an
d
ploppe
d
down.
Hi
s
demeano
r
wa
s
cal
m
an
d
hi
s
ste
p
agil
e
an
d
wel
l
coordinated
.
H
e
seeme
d
relaxed
.
I
dismisse
d
the
orderlies.
I opene
d
hi
s
folde
r
an
d
jotte
d
th
e
dat
e
o
n
a
clea
n
yello
w
pad
.
H
e
watche
d
m
e
quit
e
intently
,
evincing
a
hin
t
o
f
a
smile
.
I
aske
d
hi
m
whethe
r
h
e
wa
s
comfortabl
e
o
r
neede
d
anything
.
T
o
m
y
surpris
e
he
requeste
d
a
n
apple
.
Hi
s
voic
e
wa
s
sof
t
bu
t
clear
,
wit
h
n
o
detectabl
e
regiona
l
o
r
foreig
n
accent
.
I
buzzed
ou
r
hea
d
nurse
,
Bett
y
McAllister
,
an
d
aske
d
he
r
t
o
se
e
i
f
ther
e
wer
e
an
y
availabl
e
i
n
th
e
hospital
kitchens.
