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Dr. Balis:
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Ah Phylis. Please come in.
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Ms. Birch:
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It's good to see you, Dr. Balis.
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Dr. Balis:
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It is indeed good to have you back. What's been going on?
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Ms. Birch:
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Oh, it seems like all this happened so long ago.
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Dr. Balis:
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All this?
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Ms. Birch:
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Yes, that awful night that Jack came to take me home.
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Dr. Balis:
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Take you home from where?
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Ms. Birch:
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I guess I should start at the beginning.
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Dr. Balis:
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Please.
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Ms. Birch:
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On Thursday, the 3rd of October, I went out to a little place in the Tenderloin that I had never been to before. I sat down, ordered a gin and tonic, and immediately some guy started talking to me. It was like I was fresh blood or something. Anyway, as he's chatting me up, Jack walks in. Apparently he's been following me--it just took a few minutes for him to work up his courage to actually confront me. I didn't see him at first with this creep bugging me. He comes over to me and in a cold and steady voice tells me to get my bag and that we're leaving. I was startled and shocked to see him. I hesitated. For a moment I thought that I should pretend not to know him, maybe he'd believe me and leave. But his eyes were so stormy. There was a lot of pain there. So I reached for my pack and followed him out. As we were walking away, the creepo that was talking to me kept calling after us. Then he rushed after us, asking Jack who he was and me whether I knew him. Jack used the "wrong" name--he called me Phylis and, of course, I was Martha to the creep. I was too scared and too shocked to say anything. I just looked at him. Jack didn't bother to reply. Sometimes he's like that. If it is insignificant and bothersome, he simply won't respond. That's when the creepo jumped him. He beat Jack to a bloody pulp before Jack even knew what was happening. By that point I was incapable of dealing. I was incapable of thinking. I could barely believe that any of this was happening. So now my husband is lying unconscious on the sidewalk. It's late, maybe ten thirty. There are no cops to be had. Who knows where they were, all hanging out over donuts. The creepo, he told me his name was Joe, takes me back to his place. I felt as if I was watching a movie--that none of this was actually happening. When we got to the rat hole that this guy calls home, he washed my face and gave me something to drink. I can't quite remember how I got to the next point, I guess I blocked it out, but this slime was on top of me. My clothes were mostly gone and his dick was between my legs. I freaked out, pushed him off, and scrambled to get my jeans. He asked where I was going, but I didn't answer. All I could think about was Jack, lying there in the filth bleeding. I ran out to find him. When I got to the place, Jack was still unconscious. I called for an ambulance and we went to the emergency room. He looked real bad. Blood was all over his face. When he finally came to, he could hardly move. This Joe creep had broken three of Jack's ribs, his nose, and his right leg. He was in a shit load of pain.
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Dr. Balis:
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Oh Phylis.
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Ms. Birch:
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They kept him in the hospital for two days because of internal hemorrhaging. I stayed there with him.
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Dr. Balis:
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Were you all right? Are you all right?
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Ms. Birch:
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The emergency waiting area was horrible. Drug addicts and alcoholics shivering in cold sweat. Gun shot wounds. Motorcycle accident victims. There were tons of motorcycle accident victims being brought in one after another. The river of cripples kept flowing. Jack did not have to wait because of the internal bleeding but I did. I swear I lost years of my life sitting there. Watching. I remember that for a moment I thought of some of the people that I had gotten to know as Martha. Most of them had had the occasion to wait in an emergency ward. But primarily I was scared. Scared for Jack, scared for us, or just plain scared. I'm still scared. But at least I know that Jack is going to be fine. With one less tooth but fine.
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Dr. Balis:
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Is he still on bed rest?
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Ms. Birch:
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Yeah. He isn't supposed to go anywhere for at least two weeks.
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Dr. Balis:
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And what about you? Are you going to work or staying home with Jack?
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Ms. Birch:
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I took most of last week off, but as of today I'm back. I can't afford to stay away for so long. The last thing that we need now is for me to lose my job.
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Dr. Balis:
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How are you coping?
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Ms. Birch:
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Who said anything about coping? I'm going through the motions but...well, let's just say that I could stand to get a little more productive.
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Dr. Balis:
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You must know that I am less worried about your productivity at work than I am about your well being, both physically and emotionally.
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Ms. Birch:
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I don't quite know what to say. I am trying real hard to hold strong, so that I can be there for Jack. I got him into this after all. I haven't told him what he missed while he was unconscious. I'm not sure that I ever will. As for Martha, I've got some explaining to do.
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Dr. Balis:
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Are you all right? You went through some pretty horrific things.
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Ms. Birch:
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I don't know. I think I'm still in denial.
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Dr. Balis:
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Are you physically hurt in anyway?
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Ms. Birch:
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I'm sorry. That's my pager. One second. It's Jack. May I use your phone?
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Dr. Balis:
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Of course.
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Ms. Birch:
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Thank you. Hello Love. How are you? What? What?! Well don't move, okay? Don't move. I'll be right over. Call the doctor. Tell her I'm on my way. Take care. I love you. I'm sorry Dr. Balis. I've got to go. I'll explain later.
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Dr. Balis:
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Is Jack all right?
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Ms. Birch:
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I'll call you.
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###
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Doctor Balis' Notes on this Session
Transcripts of Phylis Birch's Therapy Sessions