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Mr. Rozzi:
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Hurry, Doctor! Close the door and lock it!
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Dr. Balis:
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Alex, what's going on? Why do you want me to lock the door?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Because she's out there and she wants to come in here! I don't want her in here. Not now. Not yet. She's out there looking for a place to park the car. Doctor! We have to lock the damn door!
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Dr. Balis:
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Who's out there? Your mom?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Yeah. Can we take your name off the door before she finds us?
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Dr. Balis:
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No, Alex, we won't do that. Alex, she'll find my suite number on the building directory. When she gets here I will answer the door...
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Mr. Rozzi:
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But, Doc! I told you that I don't want her in here with us. There's some stuff I got to tell you about before she comes in!
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Dr. Balis:
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Calm down, Alex, please. Now then, if you don't wish to have her join us, then I can tell her that our sessions are private and she'll have to wait for you outside. But I have another idea.
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Mr. Rozzi:
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No! No ideas. I don't want her to come in here with us! Doctor, please! That bitch is going to try to fuck with me...with us and our heads and stuff. She's been pissed off at me ever since she came back from Canada. When she saw the house and found out what happened, man, I'm telling you, she was in a state.
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Dr. Balis:
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Alex, listen to me. You need to slow down here and stay calm. You're getting yourself all worked up. My idea is that we let her come in here...
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Mr. Rozzi:
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No! If you do, I'll run out of here and will never come back again!
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Dr. Balis:
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Alex, please listen to what I have in mind. How about if she comes in here and you go out. Let us talk for just a short time. Then you can come back in here, and you and I can continue our session? How does that sound?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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I don't know, man. She's on high. I mean it's like she's on a rampage or something. She's really scary when she's like this. I don't know.
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Dr. Balis:
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Trust me, Alex. Just give me a few minutes alone with her, okay? You can go outside and have a cigarette while you are waiting. Is that okay with you?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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I don't know. I guess I'll decide when she gets up here. Hell, maybe she won't be able to find a place to park her precious little car. She's real picky about where she parks it, you know? It's never in-between two cars. She always has to park on the end so the driver door won't be in danger of getting dented. And man, watch out if you get your fingerprints on the finish! It's a real sickness, Doc, I'm telling you.
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Dr. Balis:
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You said she's on a rampage. Is she blaming you for the break-in?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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I told you she would. It took me a while to figure out what my mom...uh, I mean my grandma used to say about her being the queen of high drama. When she came home last week, the minute she came into the house, she noticed that a lot of stuff was missing.
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Dr. Balis:
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But you said that nothing was taken?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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That's right. But the stuff that was missing was the shit that was broken. That was what Benny and I spent the entire day cleaning up. Whoever broke in just wanted to mess the place up, nothing more I suppose. But the glass was everywhere. I'm still finding tiny pieces of it. I have to really watch Darla, when she's roaming around these days, because I'm worried that she'll step on a piece of it, you know? I would hate myself if she got hurt.
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Dr. Balis:
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So your mother is upset about the place getting ransacked? I can understand her anger about it--it's a big violation, Alex. Didn't you feel a bit violated yourself?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Doctor, you don't know what violation really is, I guess. It was kind of weird getting broken in to, but no, I didn't feel violated. Violated is when someone sticks a knife to your throat and rapes you. Or head butts you when you're in a public place wearing only a g-string. You know, I've been having nightmares about all that, too.
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Dr. Balis:
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I vividly perceive your ideas about violation and yes, I do understand. It's important to keep a perspective on it. But, Alex, surely you see that there are different levels of being violated? Take your assault case, for example.
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Why? Hey, man, this is like taking two steps backwards and I don't want to go there, okay?
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Dr. Balis:
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This man was following you around because he felt violated.
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Well, uh...I didn't think of it that way. But why are you telling me this? Are you trying to give me a guilt trip or something?
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Dr. Balis:
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No. No, Alex. I didn't intend for you to see it like that and I'm sorry that you did. My point is this, violation comes in many forms and your mother most certainly feels violated by the break-in. Can you see it from that angle?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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I guess so, but...it's not like that, Doctor. She thinks I did it and made-up the story about the break-in to try to cover it up or something. Just like she thought I made up the story about getting...shit! It's happening again!
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Dr. Balis:
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What is it, Alex? Oh, I see...
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Mr. Rozzi:
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You know, Doctor, when my grandmother died, it was like my entire world came crashing down around me. And like...well, all this really bad stuff started happening to me. If she had just stayed alive and not left me like that, well, then it would all be okay, you know? I probably wouldn't be here talking to you. I'd be out having a normal life, like I used to have before I was sent to live with pig-bitch lady.
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Dr. Balis:
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When someone so close to you dies, it results in a lot of transitions and change in one's life. Not just yours, Alex, everybody's. Here, take a tissue.
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Fuck! I feel like such a little pussy-sweater-boy, whimpering away about something I had no control over. Nah, I don't need your damn tissue, Doc! I told you before...
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Dr. Balis:
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They're right there if you find that you want to use them, Alex. I don't feel ashamed about crying. You're safe here with me.
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Yeah? Well, not for long, Doctor. Pig-bitch lady will be up here any minute now. She can't see me like this, Doctor. She just can't! Do you have a back door to this place? I'm starting to feel a little sick. Oh my god! I've got to get out of here!
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Dr. Balis:
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It's okay, Alex. Sit down. Why don't you take some deep, slow breaths and try to calm yourself a bit. Here, I'll move the trash can next to you, just in case...and help yourself to some water, if you want. Alex, when people lose someone so dear to them--so very important to them--it's perfectly normal to feel the way you do. Now, I'm quite concerned about these episodes. It appeared as if you were about to hyperventilate and you mentioned something about this sort of thing happening to you the last time we met.
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Mr. Rozzi:
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It's not the first time, if that's what you're leading up to. Remember I told you about doing it when I was supposed to be working my trash rounds at the park? I get upset and then, bang! I have trouble breathing and I get sort of dizzy and sick to my stomach. And ever since I told you about how Benny and I met, well, I've been having these bad dreams a lot. The kind of dreams that stick with me all day long and...oh my god, Doctor, she's here!
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Dr. Balis:
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It's okay, Alex. Now, I'm going to go over and answer the door. I'll go out into the other room and talk with her for a few minutes, okay? Try to relax yourself, hmm?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Doctor! Don't go out there yet! I have to tell you about something really important, okay?
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Dr. Balis:
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Okay. But I must answer the door for her. I'll ask her to wait. Just a second, Alex. Hello, I'm Doctor Balis.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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I'm Larraine Rozzi. Is Alex in there? I've been driving around trying to find a place to park. I really wanted to get in here earlier. Alex? What are you doing in there? Get your butt out here where I can see what you're up to! Doctor? Do you just let him have his run of your office like that?
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Dr. Balis:
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Ms. Rozzi, do you mind waiting out here for a few minutes? Alex and I aren't quite ready for you just yet.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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Well, I can wait, but we must get out of here on time. I still have to take that little bastard to the doctor...and I have an appointment afterwards. What are you looking at?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Bite me, mom!
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Ms. Rozzi:
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You little...just you wait!
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Dr. Balis:
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Ms. Rozzi! Alex, please, put that chair down! Let's all settle down.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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I'll just sit right here, Doctor, thank you.
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Dr. Balis:
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Thank you, Ms. Rozzi. We won't be long.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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Oh Doctor, don't be so formal. Please call me Larraine. Hey, nice tie. I'll bet some lucky girl gave that to you. I like it, it's funky.
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Dr. Balis:
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Oh, well...uh, thank you, Larraine. Please excuse me. Alex? Is everything okay? Good.
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Yeah, you finally met my mom. That fucking bitch! See? See how she talks to me? And she did just what I thought she'd do. She's already trying to flatter you, and I noticed that she thinks you're attractive. She'll try to get you in bed, just you wait. What a bitch! And you know that appointment she mentioned? She's having her nails done, and that's far more important than anything else. She's such a bitch!
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Dr. Balis:
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Okay, Alex, that's enough, okay? Now, you mentioned that you needed to tell me something important?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Yeah, I did. Well, she came home last Thursday and she was all happy and shit--until she saw the house. But she was happy--she was jumping around, singing to herself, walking funny. I've never seen her like that before. It was so strange. Anyway, she came home a couple days ago with this man. He looked to be a little bit older than her. And she says to me, "Alex, I want to introduce you to your father."
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Dr. Balis:
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Your father?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Yeah. Can you believe it? I mean, do you know how many times that slutty bitch came home with some jerk and told me to call him daddy? I can't even tell you. But I looked at her and then at him and back at her again. And then I said, "You fucking bitch!" And then I ran out the front door. I wasn't going to stay around for this bullshit, you know? I mean, what kind of crap is that anyway--her playing fucking head games with me like that, you know?
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Dr. Balis:
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I can see how that would shock you. What happened next?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Well, as I was running down the steps, this guy came after me and said something like, "You can't talk to your mother that way! Come back here!" And I looked back up at him and told him he wasn't my father. And that he would never be my father. So he shouldn't try to tell me what I can say or do! "Fuck off, mister! My father's dead!" And then I walked away.
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Dr. Balis:
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Where did you go?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Well, I went over to Ralph's.
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Dr. Balis:
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Ralph?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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You know who he is. He's that buttered white bread man, remember? The weird trick? Well, he had called me earlier that day because he hurt his back and wanted me to come and help him. So that's where I've been staying the past couple nights.
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Dr. Balis:
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Alex, we are running out of time. I'd like to talk with your mother for a few minutes and then with you again, okay?
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Mr. Rozzi:
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Okay. I'll go down and have a smoke. How about if I come back in about five minutes?
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Dr. Balis:
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That sounds good, Alex. Ms. Rozzi, would you like to come in now?
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Ms. Rozzi:
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Sure. Where the hell do you think you're going, mister? Get back here! Doctor, where does he think he's doing?
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Dr. Balis:
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It's okay, Ms. Rozzi. He's going outside for a few minutes while we talk. Please sit down. Alex has told me quite a bit about you.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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I bet he has.
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Dr. Balis:
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He told me that you went away for a while...
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Ms. Rozzi:
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Just a couple of days. It wasn't a big deal. And I had my aunt look after him, so it wasn't like Alex was alone or...
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Dr. Balis:
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I wasn't judging you, Ms. Rozzi.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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I thought it was Larraine?
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Dr. Balis:
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Alex told me that when you came back, you were not alone. And, in fact, you introduced your companion as Alex's father.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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That's Mark and he is Alex's father. Trust me, Doctor Balis. I know that. Alex doesn't.
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Dr. Balis:
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Does Mark have something to do with your trip to Canada?
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Ms. Rozzi:
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Well, yes. Yes it does, as a matter of fact. We had lost contact years ago...well before Alex was born, and he recently sent me a letter. I was so shocked. I was thunderstruck by his letter. I fainted when I saw it was from him. He had no idea that I was even pregnant. The day I found out I was pregnant was the day he disappeared. I figured he found out somehow and didn't want to be involved with it, knowing how my parents could be. But that wasn't the case at all.
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Dr. Balis:
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What happened to him?
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Ms. Rozzi:
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Well, that's a very long arduous story, Doctor. It may take a while to explain. Maybe I can come to see you again and we can talk about this. Or better yet, why don't you and I go out to dinner and we can discuss it then? You aren't married, I presume?
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Dr. Balis:
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No, I'm not. Alex is my patient and you're his mother. It would be inappropriate for me to go to dinner with you. But I would like to make an appointment with you to discuss Alex.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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Do you find me unattractive? Is that why you don't want to go out with me?
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Dr. Balis:
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It has nothing to do with it. I have certain professional ethics and going to dinner with you would violate them. We're here to talk about Alex.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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I don't mean to sound like a bitch, but he brings it all on himself by lying and cheating. You ought to see what he did to my house, not to mention my car! He made up some lame story about the place getting broken into. Well, if someone really did break-in, then why the hell didn't they take anything? He's out of control, Doctor.
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Dr. Balis:
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Actually, I believe he's being honest about that. You should have seen him the day after the break-in--we had a session then. But I'm really more concerned about his physical health. We need to have your general practicioner authorize some tests. I think I'd like a radiologist to do a work-up of his head.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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Well, I could've told you that, Doctor. He's needed someone to have a good look at his head for quite some time now.
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Dr. Balis:
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That's not what I meant. Didn't you notice his forehead? I think he may have suffered a concussion.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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Oh please, Doctor. He's just bleeding for some attention. Don't let him fool you.
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Dr. Balis:
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I think you need to step back a little and really see what's going on with your son, Ms. Rozzi. He had suffered a lot of emotional traumas in his life and he's been deeply affected by them--the death of his grandmother and grandfather, the realization that you are his real mother, and recently...
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Ms. Rozzi:
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Yeah, he's deeply affected, all right. Tell me something I didn't already know.
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Dr. Balis:
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Ms. Rozzi, I'm trying to be as serious and forthright with you as I can. Can you try to do the same with me?
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Ms. Rozzi:
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Look, I know that he's a messed up little boy and that he's probably blaming me for all of it. But he really does bring these things on himself, you know? It's karma--what goes around, comes around. I always tell him that.
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Dr. Balis:
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He does have some serious problems, and that's what I hope to discuss in more detail with you. We can help each other and help him at the same time. Everyone will benefit, if you and I can work together on this. Do you think we can?
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Ms. Rozzi:
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I'll try, Doctor. I'll try. Look, it's very late. I've got to go now.
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Dr. Balis:
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Okay.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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Where's Alex?
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Dr. Balis:
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He said that he'd come back up after five minutes.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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He's probably gotten himself into some trouble. He's good at that, you know? Or he's up to his games again.
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Dr. Balis:
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I'll call down to the pharmacy that's in the retail space at the front and see if they can tell him to come up. Hello, Dick? This is Doctor Balis. A patient of mine--a tall young man with long black hair--should be outside the doors, smoking a cigarette. Could you do me a favor and ask him to come back up? Okay, I'll wait. What? What was that? You don't? Did you look around the corner there? I see. Well, thank you. Well, Ms. Rozzi, apparently Alex has left. He's not out there.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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What did I tell you? Alex's games again. Well, Doctor, I'll be on my way then. I'll call you when I get into my office and we can schedule an appointment. Thanks, Doctor.
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Dr. Balis:
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Ms. Rozzi?
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Ms. Rozzi:
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Please call me Larraine.
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Dr. Balis:
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Larraine, this concerns me. I don't think that Alex would just go like that, without saying anything to me.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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Obviously you don't know Alex the way I do. It's just like him to pull something like this. I could have predicted it. Oh well, I'm on my way. Doctor? If you change your mind about dinner, just give me a call, okay? That really is a nice tie. Did I mention that before?
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Dr. Balis:
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Yes. Yes, you did.
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Ms. Rozzi:
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See you again. Soon, I hope.
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Dr. Balis:
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Goodbye, Ms. Rozzi. Hello? This is Doctor Balis. Hi, Dick. What? Oh, I see. A wallet? Alex Rozzi? Yeah, that's my patient. Why don't you give it to his mother, she should be walking out just about now. Oh, she did? A tall, nice looking woman, dressed somewhat flashy? Yes, that's her. Oh well, hang onto it for me and I'll pick it up on my way out. Thanks. I'll see to it that he gets it back. Thanks again, Dick. I appreciate it. Goodbye.
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###
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Doctor Balis' Notes on this Session
Transcripts of Alex Rozzi's Communications
