Niles and Frasier were meeting for their daily coffee at Cafe Nervosa, and Niles could sense by his brother's demeanor that something was troubling him. Frasier was barely listening to what Niles was saying, and even more worrisome, was not even talking, not even about himself.
"And so this morning Dad announced that he was changing his name to Tammy Tomatoes, and is moving away to live a new, private life in the Caribbeans," Niles said, and the waitress, with her untimely arrival of refills, stared at Niles strangely.
"Frasier!" Niles burst out. "You haven't heard a word I'm saying..."
"Yeah, you, Daphne, a beach.."
"You may have been reading my mind, but certainly you are not listening to me!" Niles replied with indigence. "What is going on? Or am I bothering you..I certainly do not wish to be where I'm not wanted. That's what I had Maris for."
Frasier frowned. "I'm sorry, Niles. It's just...well, I can't stop thinking about Tom."
"Tom? Oh you mean that nutcase who worshiped at the altar of Frasier Crane?"
"I wish you wouldn't call him that. I mean, I understand the worship of me, to a degree.."
"Understand?" Niles retorted with a sparkle in his eyes. "You practically wrote the book!"
Frasier looked up at smirked. "Very funny, Niles. You know what I mean. I just can't shake the feeling that his preoccupation with me is a symptom of a much larger, darker psychological problem."
"Very good..Freud would be so proud of you.."
"If you're not going to take my concerns seriously.."
"I'm sorry, Frasier. I haven't given it much thought, but I admit last week when we showed up to a living shrine of you, I was taken aback to say the least," Niles conceded.
"As was I. I just think that , well, as his hero and as a professional, I owe it to Tom to investigate, to work with him, to get to the bottom of his unhealthy obsession with me."
"And if that works, you could apply those principles to yourself," Niles smirked. "I'm sorry. I'm done."
Frasier shook his head. "I mean, we both have fortuitous lives. We're blessed with friends, social lives, careers, things that give our lives meaning. We've dedicated our lives to helping those less fortunate, and even profited off of the suffering of others..Let's face it, Niles, we're both prosperous in part to the treatment of the mentally ill. Suddenly I feel more than a twinge of guilt at our fortunes in life. These poor souls, with no real voices to speak out for themselves..."
"I suppose," Niles interjected. "Your radio show does give voice to the voiceless..in that sense one might consider what you do quite the public service."
"Why Niles," the elder Crane brother looked up in amusement. "I always thought you resented what I do.."
"I resent seeing your big fat face on a bus every day, but helping others, of course I could not begrudge your nobility in that aspect."
Normally Frasier would have basked in the compliment from his brother, but instead he hung his head down and sighed.
"This Tom, he's really got you thinking and distressed, doesn't he?"
"I mean, Niles...he doesn't leave his house. No friends. A difficult relationship with his mother..who appeared to be his only caller. He finds joy in my work..but that is the only joy in his life! And its misguided joy, because he hasn't even called in and directly participated in this ..this..that supposedly sustains his life. I don't know. I just feel like if I don't help him to see that there is much more to life than my show, then perhaps, and ironically, this could be the major failure of my career. If I of all people were to refuse to offer a hand of guidance, of education and support...then Niles, all of my life's work has been for naught."
"Oh, Frasier, don't you suppose you are overdramatizing things just a bit? After all, it's just one person who thinks about one person night and day, thoughts of this person haunting their dreams to where they don't want to wake up in fear of not seeing that person that day..to feel so connected to someone they admire from afar and feel so lost, unable to take charge of their own lives..."
A flashback of Daphne, and his own long time crush on Daphne, came to Niles' mind. "You are right, Frasier. We must help Tom."
"We? You're offering to help me?"
"I just..suddenly I feel a bit more compassionate than I suppose that I was at first. I have a unique perspective on things that I feel I could help you teach Tom how to redirect his attentions..."
Just then Daphne walked in and kissed Niles on the forehead. "I'm one of the lucky ones, Frasier," Niles continued. "My unobtainable dream came true. Obviously Tom is so lost he doesn't even realize what his own dreams are, or that he's allowed to have his own dreams. Frasier, tonight, let's meet at your place...and tomorrow..to Tom's we go."
"Thank you, Niles." Frasier smiled. And he stood up and kissed Daphne on the cheek. "And thank you, Daphne."
"For what?" she smiled in bemusement. "I'm afraid I don't understand..."
"not only have you helped Niles become a better brother, a better son, a better person..but you're making him a better psychiatrist as well. You've changed his life for the better. And you've inspired Niles and myself to help change the life of our fellow man. Thank you, Daphne." Frasier smiled as he took off to do some research.
Niles thought for a minute how lost he was without having Daphne by his side. How he'd lived for the approval of others, how he never really thought he deserved true love, how he hid his immense loneliness under the guise of fancy furniture, clothing and food.
And Daphne came along, and she surely saved him from an unfulfilled life, unfulfilled dreams.
Certainly he owed it to this Tom person to help him redirect his life.
Maybe he could find friends, a meaningful job, true hobbies.
Maybe he'd get those awful Frasier photos down off his window.
And maybe, just maybe, if Tom were half as lucky as Niles had been, Tom could eventually meet his own Daphne.
Maybe...just maybe...
the end