4 Chapter 4 - Therapy and the Unexpected

"What makes you think that they are not real?" Dr. Héping asked.

Art rocks back in surprise. Dr. Héping had taken a long time to think after Art told him what had happened. So much that Art expected something more like him sitting back and tapping his fingers together in sequence as he said "Vell! Now let us talk about your Fatheh und Motheh und Sthreee genedrations of fyour family tdree, und ve vill get to ze bottom of zis!".

Art clears his throat to shake off the surprise and clear that scene from his mind, and replies "Real, how could it be real?"

The doctor replies: "You said that you saw a woman who looked at you in an unusual way, you turned away and back, and she was gone. Could she not have simply been someone walking through the crowd?"

Art is pretty sure that this is impossible. When he is in a crowd, there is rarely any person whom he is ever unaware of within a hundred feet, even for a second, between their movement, conversation, and even body heat, he has a mental awareness of them even when he looks away or closes his eyes. But he knew that others would think that kind of talk extremely arrogant, so he shrugs and says "Maybe. But what about the words?"

"Yes, well that is something to consider, but you have told me before that you have a fully detailed internal audio playlist. Does that playlist have no words?" the Dr. asks. "After all, even if the source of a dialog were imaginary, the dialog itself is still real, no?"

"These weren't my playlist, or my words, this was something else talking to me." Art replied emphatically.

"Maybe… maybe. On the other hand, maybe our subconscious mind uses such methods to present things to our conscious mind from time to time. Perhaps these are things that you are working through, and this is the way you are working through them, by telling yourself things, but not being practiced in the art of disagreeing with yourself, they appear as from someone else. We do have to be somewhat cautious though: the subconscious mind does not have its own filter or moral compass: that comes from the higher mind. So for example, if the 'System' starts telling you to go and beat someone up, or that you should be afraid of someone trying to trap or control you when there is very little reason to conclude that they are, it is very important that you do not take action that is harmful right away, and instead look to gain understanding, and talk with others."

Art considers this, but says "Courageous? Me?"

"Ah, that. That I can say with utmost conviction, you have more courage than you know, more than many!" the Dr. counters.

"But, walking out my front door? I do that all the time! Why call that out?" Art asked, a little more curious.

"Hmm… what bad things might happen to you when you walk out your door?" Dr. Héping asks, with a gravelly voice.

Without pause, Art replied, showing that he has thought of these things very regularly: "I could be hit by a vehicle, shot in a drive by shooting, mugged, kidnapped, hit by a rock that is kicked up by a speeding vehicle, killed by a tool that the workmen who live in the top floor of our building leave on their balcony, contract a new horrifying disease that hasn't been detected yet and so is invisibly spreading throughout the city. The gas lines that are three feet and four inches under the sidewalk because the contractor got an exception due to being unable to dig deeper into the bedrock in this spot could rupture and a passing smoker or stray static charge could ignite the gas into a massive fireball. An earthquake a mile off shore could create a Tsunami, and all I would maybe see would be toppling buildings and trees a half second before a massive wave of water crushes me against the building. The threat of nuclear accident and terrorist action has gone up significantly since the Cold War. A seagull hitting the pilot's windshield in an airplane that has taken off from the airport's runway 13 in the clockwise spiral climb 47 seconds after takeoff would follow exactly the right arc to plummet towards the 'o' of the "welcome mat" at the moment I cross over as I step out the door… I can list more, but the probabilities get smaller…"

Dr. Héping opens his eyes wide at the variety and level of detail. Smaller probability than death by collateral damage from a seagull/airplane collision? Ok, maybe a little paranoid then, he thinks to himself. Out loud he says: "No, no… that's quite enough." He lowers his voice so that Art has to lean forward to hear. "You go out your door all the time, knowing all of this: but how often do you celebrate that significant act of courage?"

Art is stunned. "Never." he whispered.

"Congratulations! System Quest Completed: Straight talk with the Therapist. Rewards: Soul Energy +10, Soul Energy renewal +1"