"And how does that make you feel?" Holden Caulfield, aged 30, asked his
latest victim or more precisely patient. He was getting rather bored with
patient after patient whining about his crummy job, how his wife can't sing, or how much money he wasn't making. Holden sighed. Sure, he'd found
that everybody wasn't a phony, but there were definitely some people in the world who were pretty confused on what was important. Holden nodded at the man sitting in the chair across from him, gave a vague possible solution to his problem, and jotted down some meaningless jargon on his notepad. Lately, he hadn't been trying as hard to help his patients. No, he had been too concerned with his own budding family. Shortly after graduating from college, not without much difficulty and hard work, he had returned home for a party celebrating the release of his brother's latest novel, and had met the love of his life. Jane Gallagher. They got to talk, and Holden found out she still kept all her kings in the back row. Before either of them knew it, they were married and living in a cozy little house in Vermont. It was a far cry from what Holden had expected to be doing with his life, but boy, was he ever satisfied. Especially now that they were expecting a child of their own. Also, his career was looking up too. (After nearly eight years in his field, Holden had been accepted in many exclusive circles, which included many renowned doctors. Most of which he had never spoken too because he believed they were snobbish, but in which a select few were his very good and confidential friends.) Presently, Holden returned back to reality with a start. He realized the session was over and, trying to hide his relief, dismissed his patient. While waiting for his next appointment, Holden wandered towards his desk. There was a snapshot of his family. His mother and father, their hair greying, trying to hide their smiles and be serious, and Phoebe with her arms around his and D.B.'s necks. Happy. Just the way a family's supposed to be, thought Holden. Of course, once again his thoughts were interrupted. This time by a small bell tinkling to let him know that his patient was there. He went to the door and let her in. Now, this one was a mystery. Holden had tried, to no avail, to turn her inside out and see what made her tick. There was something there, he knew it, but he just had to find it first. Ah, yes! This was his dream! He cleared his mind and prepared to help those he truly cared for. Adolescents. Those confused questioning creatures, not unlike the one that he had been. Something in his brain clicked. That was it! An image suddenly appeared in his mind. Walking down a black and white hallway, he was confronted with a mirror image of himself. Slowly, he realized that this clone was holding a pistol. He finally comprehended what was happening, but it was too late. The trigger had been pulled and he felt himself hurtling into a colorless oblivion.
"W—what?"
She impatiently repeated her question.
"Oh." Holden smiled at her and began telling her a story about a boy in a red hunting hat who was just as confused as she.
Holden grinned to himself after the session. He imagined the hallway. Only this time it was filled with many different colors. This time, he thought, perhaps I will be able to help someone and give them what I didn't get by answering their questions and guiding them using my own experiences. Holden smiled even wider as he picked up his coat and got ready to leave.
"I think I am, but how do I know?"
patient after patient whining about his crummy job, how his wife can't sing, or how much money he wasn't making. Holden sighed. Sure, he'd found
that everybody wasn't a phony, but there were definitely some people in the world who were pretty confused on what was important. Holden nodded at the man sitting in the chair across from him, gave a vague possible solution to his problem, and jotted down some meaningless jargon on his notepad. Lately, he hadn't been trying as hard to help his patients. No, he had been too concerned with his own budding family. Shortly after graduating from college, not without much difficulty and hard work, he had returned home for a party celebrating the release of his brother's latest novel, and had met the love of his life. Jane Gallagher. They got to talk, and Holden found out she still kept all her kings in the back row. Before either of them knew it, they were married and living in a cozy little house in Vermont. It was a far cry from what Holden had expected to be doing with his life, but boy, was he ever satisfied. Especially now that they were expecting a child of their own. Also, his career was looking up too. (After nearly eight years in his field, Holden had been accepted in many exclusive circles, which included many renowned doctors. Most of which he had never spoken too because he believed they were snobbish, but in which a select few were his very good and confidential friends.) Presently, Holden returned back to reality with a start. He realized the session was over and, trying to hide his relief, dismissed his patient. While waiting for his next appointment, Holden wandered towards his desk. There was a snapshot of his family. His mother and father, their hair greying, trying to hide their smiles and be serious, and Phoebe with her arms around his and D.B.'s necks. Happy. Just the way a family's supposed to be, thought Holden. Of course, once again his thoughts were interrupted. This time by a small bell tinkling to let him know that his patient was there. He went to the door and let her in. Now, this one was a mystery. Holden had tried, to no avail, to turn her inside out and see what made her tick. There was something there, he knew it, but he just had to find it first. Ah, yes! This was his dream! He cleared his mind and prepared to help those he truly cared for. Adolescents. Those confused questioning creatures, not unlike the one that he had been. Something in his brain clicked. That was it! An image suddenly appeared in his mind. Walking down a black and white hallway, he was confronted with a mirror image of himself. Slowly, he realized that this clone was holding a pistol. He finally comprehended what was happening, but it was too late. The trigger had been pulled and he felt himself hurtling into a colorless oblivion.
"W—what?"
She impatiently repeated her question.
"Oh." Holden smiled at her and began telling her a story about a boy in a red hunting hat who was just as confused as she.
Holden grinned to himself after the session. He imagined the hallway. Only this time it was filled with many different colors. This time, he thought, perhaps I will be able to help someone and give them what I didn't get by answering their questions and guiding them using my own experiences. Holden smiled even wider as he picked up his coat and got ready to leave.
"I think I am, but how do I know?"
