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Mr. Mainor:
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Doctor Balis? Hello. Do you mind if I see you for just a bit?
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Dr. Balis:
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Hal? I'm glad to see you. Actually I have a cancellation so it's no problem. Please come in. What's on your mind?
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Mr. Mainor:
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A lot. I went to the office this morning and the whole damn place in plastered with this article from the Sunday paper--Sylvia the whore and her two brats!
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Dr. Balis:
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Oh yes. I saw the article. I gather you didn't see it before today?
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Mr. Mainor:
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I've got two kids, Doctor. I don't have the fucking time to read the damn Metro section.
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Dr. Balis:
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Okay, just calm down a bit, Hal. Tell me what happened at work.
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Mr. Mainor:
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I showed up and the whole place is covered with Xerox copies of this article. There must be hundreds of copies. Everyone got one in their mail box and they are posted in all the lunchrooms, bathrooms, water fountains, you name it. I tell you, you can't make a move without seeing the damn thing. And the conversations!
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Dr. Balis:
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I guess everyone is talking about it.
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Mr. Mainor:
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Boy! Everyone is dying to know who the guys were. God, that bitch!
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Dr. Balis:
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Sylvia?
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Mr. Mainor:
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She used us! She used me. She wanted my sperm and she stopped at nothing to get it. Not even a thank you for the service. Eleven guys! Can you believe it? And I wanted to marry her. What a fool. I was going to leave my children and wife for that whore.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hal, calm down please. Sit down.
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Mr. Mainor:
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Calm down! That night we had together really meant something to me, you know? I cared. But to her it meant nothing. I'm surprised she even bothered to talk to me. Eleven guys!
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Dr. Balis:
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Hal, you knew that you were probably not the only one.
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Mr. Mainor:
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And how long will it be before everyone knows who the guys were? That fucking Richard! He had to file a lawsuit. Couldn't leave bad enough alone! Now it's all in the public record. My wife works in the building all the time.
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Dr. Balis:
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What building?
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Mr. Mainor:
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The Superior Court. It's down at the temporary court house on 8th Street and Bryant, Harrison...one of those streets. She does research there all the time. How long do you think it will be before she finds out?
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Dr. Balis:
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Do you think she is going to look this up?
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Mr. Mainor:
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Wouldn't you? Your husband works for the woman who sleeps her way through the best of the company's men. Don't you think she would guess? And then she'll have the proof--all there in black in white.
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Dr. Balis:
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Do you think...
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Mr. Mainor:
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People are even talking about making it a web site.
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Dr. Balis:
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What?
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Mr. Mainor:
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A web site. SII brings high technology to the home-wrecking business. Just look for Sylvia in your favorite search engine and there you are--name and dates. I wouldn't be surprised if they'll include interviews--"So how was it for you, Mr. Mainor?"
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Dr. Balis:
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Hal, Hal...
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Mr. Mainor:
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Doctor, you don't understand. This is it for me. My marriage, my children--I lost them all. That bitch took it all away from me.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hal, Sylvia didn't force you to have sex with her.
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Mr. Mainor:
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She might as well have. I was vulnerable! I was having problems with my creativity and I'm an artist. And artists need inspiration. She sensed my weakness and used it. Just to think that someone could use their power like that.
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Dr. Balis:
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Power?
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Mr. Mainor:
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Sylvia was my boss at the time. When your boss wants your ass, do you say no?
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Dr. Balis:
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Hal, it wasn't like that. You know it.
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Mr. Mainor:
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So what? And I'm not the only victim. What about the rest of us?
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Dr. Balis:
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You mean the other men named in the suit?
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Mr. Mainor:
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This afternoon, Nils, the guy who took over our department while Ms. Bows was busy giving birth, was having it out with Richard. They were really getting at each other good.
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Dr. Balis:
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Like hitting?
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Mr. Mainor:
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Hitting, punching...I guess Nils was named as well. Another life down the toilet. And I thought he was quite a nice guy. Sort of a refreshing change from the previous administration.
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Dr. Balis:
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How do you know Nils was named in the suit? He wasn't mentioned in the article.
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Mr. Mainor:
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Neither was I, but I know.
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Dr. Balis:
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I see.
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Mr. Mainor:
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Shit.
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Dr. Balis:
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I think you need to talk with your wife, Hal. Really open up your lines of communication.
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Mr. Mainor:
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You mean tell her before she finds out herself? Shit. She'll probably be happy.
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Dr. Balis:
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Why happy? What's going on, Hal?
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Mr. Mainor:
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She's been real happy lately. Glowing.
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Dr. Balis:
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Glowing?
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Mr. Mainor:
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Singing to herself, dressing up real nice, even putting on make-up and shit. Taking real good care of herself.
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Dr. Balis:
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You think that's bad?
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Mr. Mainor:
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Look Doctor, I know what I've got. A bright, good looking woman like Marge and a lawyer at that. She would make a good catch.
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Dr. Balis:
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You suspect your wife of having an affair?
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Mr. Mainor:
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I'm not a dummy, Doctor. I see the signs.
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Dr. Balis:
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What do you see?
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Mr. Mainor:
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Margaret went out the other day and blew two hundred bucks on underwear and bras and shit. Two hundred bucks! We live on a fairly tight budget. She would never even think of doing shit like that just to look good under her skirt. It's certainly not for my sake. She comes home and all that stuff comes right off and she's wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt. Not even lipstick--all washed off. She wouldn't want me to get horny looking at her. All that lacy stuff is just for the office. I can see. I know what's going on. It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together.
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Dr. Balis:
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So let me see. You're suspecting your wife of adultery because she has been in a good mood lately, she bought some new underwear, and she changes into comfortable clothes and washes her face when she comes home from work. Don't you think you might be blowing things just a bit out of proportion?
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Mr. Mainor:
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Look Doctor, I know how easy it is to slip up. One moment you're happily married and not a stain on your marital vows. And then, one day, you find yourself with your pants down in some hotel room. It's as easy as that. Marge is no saint. Some good-looking client takes her out to dinner, buys her perfume or some such thing, and boom--next thing you know she is singing in the kitchen doing the dishes.
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Dr. Balis:
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But you don't know anything about the client thing?
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Mr. Mainor:
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I'm just giving an example. It's just easy, that's what I'm saying, Doc.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hal, just because it might have been easy for you, doesn't mean Margaret did anything. I think you're letting your guilt and imagination run away with you. What you need to do is to sit down with your wife and have real honest talk with her. I don't know whether you should tell Marge about your affair with Sylvia or not. But at least you can really talk to Marge and make her understand some of your hopes and fears. I think it will do you and your marriage a world of good.
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Mr. Mainor:
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Talk. It's easy for you to recommend it. This is what you do all day--talk, talk, talk.
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Dr. Balis:
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Can you think of something better to do?
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Mr. Mainor:
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I don't know. It's been such a fucking bad day. Look Doc, thanks for letting me get things off my chest. I don't think I would have been in good shape just going home from work today.
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Dr. Balis:
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I'm glad to have helped. But I think we have more to talk about.
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Mr. Mainor:
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Not with only an hour left to dinner time. I'm responsible for getting it and cooking today. So I'd better be off. I'll see if I can stop by again soon.
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Dr. Balis:
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I'll be happy to see you, Hal.
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Mr. Mainor:
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Bye.
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Dr. Balis:
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Goodbye, Hal. And please at least think about talking with your wife.
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Mr. Mainor:
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I'll think about it.
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###
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Doctor Balis' Notes on this Session
Transcripts of Hal Mainor's Therapy Sessions
