A Beautiful Mind of a (Fictional) UW- Madison PhD Student : Diana Reid
The year was 1975 and Diana Mccoy ( soon to be Reid) was at a Newman dinner eating spaghetti and meatballs in the basement of the ugliest church she had ever seen, trying not to stain her new pantsuit .The parish was lovely and vibrant, with very kind and humble priests and great friends, but there could be no more appropriate name for the horrid architecture than brutalist. After this, she was meeting with a discussion group in the humanities building, one that looked as equally horrid. But it would be worth it, holding her fiancé,William 's hand as her friend Carol lead a talk and discussion on St. Thomas of Aquinas.
" So,I'm sitting in the law library and I hear Diana whisper my name. She wanted to check on me. Isn't that sweet?," said William to their friends.
" I wasn't trying to be cute," said Diana.
" Yeah, she's a feminist, they don't try to be cute," said Paul.
" That's rude, really Paul, I'm offended," said Diana's best friend and roommate Veronica.
" I mean the real radicals,I have a problem with not some Catholic mother with a career, or some religious sister who is a principal."
" My sister is a Dominican who is doing her psych residency in Milwaukee now," said Diana.
" That's cool. I think women probably make better doctors than men. Well, I'm biased because I'm in medical school with Veronica here," said Carol.
The head priest walked by the table.
" Hi, Father Bob. What do you think about women in the medical profession?, asked Carol.
" What about them? My grandma was a doctor, first here to go to medical school,actually."
" That's pretty cool."
" Yeah, it is," replied Fr. Bob.
" So, Veronica how's the residency at the mental hospital? Have you met Ed Gein yet?," asked Paul.
" Most people with mental illness don't commit crimes. So far, I've just worked with the civil population and if I ever do meet Ed Gein, I'd be bound by confidentiality. How much did you have to drink at happy hour?"
" Not much, I guess I have a bad sense of humour?"
" I'll say," replied Veronica.
" Diana's sister has offered to speak at our weekly graduate student gathering on how to work with people with mental illness as people of faith. With our homeless dinners, and the increasing of people with mental illness and disabilities living in the community, I thought it would be very relevant," said Fr. Bob.
" That's very kind of you, Father, but I, um think I'll head over to humanities now," said Diana.
" You hate that building, why go now,?" asked William.
" I need some air. Let's sit on the church steps," said Diana.
Once outside Diana felt like crying. "Oh William, I'm so stressed, so tired, why'd I agree to give a talk next week. It's hard to focus. I'm really scared."
" Diana, every grad student goes through that. We're trying to find our place in life, asking who am I?"
" I'm not like Grandma Como, am I?"
" Oh, the grandma I never met?"
" The crazy one. She died there, at the mental hospital."
" Diana, you are so close to becoming Dr. Diana Mccoy, by August you'll be Dr. Diana Reid. You can do this. Just try to get some more sleep ok?"
" The humanities building has been giving me nightmares," said Diana.
" Really, well it's creepy and ugly as can be. Maybe pray, take a sleep aid."
" Go to bed earlier!," said Veronica behind them. Diana almost fell off the step in surprise.
" Um, hello,roomie. I'd like to be alone with my fiancé for a bit."
" Ok, see you in a few."
Diana shed a few tears. " I'm still going, for Carol. She's a close friend. I'm still speaking next week."
" Of course, let's head on over," replied William.
It was dark when they left Carol's talk. The darkness and ugly concrete walls in the building gave Diana an uneasy feeling. She began to power walk to the exit and sprint to the parking garage that held William's car.
" Diana, wait!," exclaimed William.
Veronica was close behind. She caught up to Diana. Diana sat on the curb in front the undergraduate library, breathing heavily.
" That place triggers fear at night sometimes."
" Breathe, Diana," said Veronica.
" You need a doctor,babe?," asked William.
" No, I'm good. I want to go home."
" Ok, let's go."
Once Diana got to their apartment, she was greeted by the cat she had got at the local shelter.
" Hello, Kitty Catholic. Stay in here," said Diana scooping up her cat upon opening the door of the second story apartment in an old house. Diana stayed up a few more hours, engrossed in writing her dissertation.
" Diana, can we talk about your anxiety tomorrow?," asked Veronica.
" No."
" Will you consider going to the new student counseling center?"
" No. I have to work now."
" It's midnight, Diana."
" Oh,period," said Diana hitting the period key determined to finish her sentence.
That night as she tried to sleep, Diana prayed. She finally fell asleep with her calico cat by her side.