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Dr. Balis:
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How are you doing today Sylvia?
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Ms. Bows:
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I'm all right Doctor. Thank you for being able to reschedule for today.
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Dr. Balis:
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That wasn't a problem. You switched your prenatal check-up?
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Ms. Bows:
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Only for yesterday. Dr. Malleson couldn't make it on Monday.
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Dr. Balis:
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How are the babies?
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Ms. Bows:
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They're fine too. But I've been getting a lot of attention lately.
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Dr. Balis:
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More then usual?
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Ms. Bows:
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I guess you can decide.
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Dr. Balis:
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Sounds like there is a story.
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Ms. Bows:
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You bet. Remember Hal?
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Dr. Balis:
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Oh God. What did he do?
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Ms. Bows:
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You remember him Doctor? Good. Well let's start with my prenatal checkup yesterday. Hal was at the hospital.
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Dr. Balis:
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You told me a couple of weeks ago that Hal was there. You said that he acted a bit peculiar.
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Ms. Bows:
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If you can call a grown man kneeling and clasping my tummy like a religious artifact, and then telling Tom that we are very close friends just a bit peculiar.
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Dr. Balis:
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Okay--strange.
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Ms. Bows:
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Well that strange man was there again. Unfortunately Tom wasn't with me this time.
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Dr. Balis:
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You were alone?
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Ms. Bows:
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I went with my nurse. But Hal didn't know that. He spent the entire time shadowing me from the hospital's corners. Since he didn't want to approach me, thank God, I was happy to pretend that I didn't notice he was there.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hal just watched you from the distance for the entire time?
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Ms. Bows:
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Yes.
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Dr. Balis:
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He didn't wave hello or...
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Ms. Bows:
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Nothing.
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Dr. Balis:
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Okay. I get the picture.
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Ms. Bows:
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No you don't Doctor. Not yet. Hal followed me home, blatantly trailing my car across town.
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Dr. Balis:
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Uh huh.
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Ms. Bows:
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When we pulled into the garage, he parked his car across the street. When I got to my room, I had to see if he was still out there. I looked out of the window and there he was standing outside his car, staring at my house. I waved hello. Hal finally waved back, then jumped in the car and drove away.
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Dr. Balis:
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So you didn't actually interact with him other than waving from afar?
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Ms. Bows:
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Not yesterday.
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Dr. Balis:
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Today?
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Ms. Bows:
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At about noon today, my nurse brought me some lunch and told me that the bald guy from the hospital was outside the house. Bed rest or no bed rest I had to look. Hal was puffing and straining, trying to unstrap a ladder that he had attached to the top of his station wagon.
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Dr. Balis:
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A ladder?
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Ms. Bows:
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You know, one of those things you climb to get to things that are too high up.
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Dr. Balis:
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I know what a ladder is, Sylvia. What was Hal doing with it?
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Ms. Bows:
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I'm sorry Doctor. I'm surprised that he didn't get pulled over with that thing on top of his car. It was a big ladder. It looked like he could have easily taken out a window or two on his way here.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Ms. Bows:
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So Maria and I are both looking out the window as Hal drags the ladder over the fence and the bushes to lean it against the house.
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Dr. Balis:
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Your house?
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Ms. Bows:
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Right here. Right up to this window.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Ms. Bows:
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So he's got the ladder leaning against the window, but he goes back to his car. He reappears carrying a basket of flowers and a boom box.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Ms. Bows:
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So he's got all this stuff and he starts to climb the ladder.
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Dr. Balis:
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With the basket and the boom box?
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Ms. Bows:
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Yeah. He turns on the boom box and it's playing the love song from the Phantom of the Opera--"Let me be your shelter, let me be your light; you're safe, no one will find you, your fears are far behind you...say you'll share with me one love, one life-time..."
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Dr. Balis:
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I know the song.
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Ms. Bows:
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Please understand Doctor, his hands are full and he is using his elbows for support as he is climbing up to this window over here. He is also singing the words, exchanging my name for Christine's.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Ms. Bows:
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And you have to understand that Hal's is no athlete. I told Maria to go get Tom.
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Dr. Balis:
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Tom was at home?
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Ms. Bows:
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He was working in the study at the back of the house.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Ms. Bows:
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Finally, Hal gets right up here to the window, looks me full in the face and sings: "any where you go, let me go too, Sylvia, that's all I ask of you." And then Tom walked into the room.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Ms. Bows:
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At first Hal didn't see him. He is busy singing and balancing himself with all that stuff up here on the second story. I tried to help him by taking the basket of flowers which I assumed were for me. By now, there were quite a few spectators watching from the sidewalk below.
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Dr. Balis:
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I'm not surprised.
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Ms. Bows:
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When I took the flowers, Hal saw Tom. I guess the sight of Tom made Hal lose his nerve, because he tried to scramble back down. Unfortunately, the boom box got in his way. Hal lost his footing and tumbled down the ladder into the bushes below.
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Dr. Balis:
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Ah ha.
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Ms. Bows:
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Doctor you're laughing. The man was hurt.
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Dr. Balis:
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I'm sorry Sylvia. The way you described the story, I could picture it perfectly in my mind.
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Ms. Bows:
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Actually, I was laughing too. It was like watching a comedy show, Fawlty Towers or something. Unfortunately Hal was really hurt. Tom had to drive him to the hospital, completely against his wishes. He just kept telling everyone to leave him alone. But he clearly broke his left leg and the boom box hit him on the face giving him a bloody forehead and a black eye. Tom insisted on taking him to the emergency room.
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Dr. Balis:
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Poor Hal.
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Ms. Bows:
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Oh, I don't know what he was thinking.
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Dr. Balis:
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Oh?
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Ms. Bows:
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I think he was trying to propose marriage. But I'm married. I told him I was married. He saw me with Tom at the hospital. What other proof does he need?
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Dr. Balis:
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You did have an affair with the man.
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Ms. Bows:
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I had a one night stand. And I've been regretting it ever since.
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Dr. Balis:
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It clearly meant more to Hal.
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Ms. Bows:
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I don't think so. I get a feeling that it's about something else. Maybe he is going through a mid-life crisis. Except that I'm way too old for that. It would make more sense if I was some twenty-two year old lemon tart.
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Dr. Balis:
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Is Hal still at the hospital?
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Ms. Bows:
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Tom didn't get back yet, so I assume so.
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Dr. Balis:
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Did Tom know what he was doing at your window?
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Ms. Bows:
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It was pretty obvious.
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Dr. Balis:
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Yes I guess so. Is Tom angry?
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Ms. Bows:
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I'm not sure. I think he knows that I'm completely uninterested in Hal. Tom is probably more sympathetic then anything else. But I'll have a talk with him when he gets home.
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Dr. Balis:
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That sounds good. Okay. I have a couple of things to do tonight. If you don't mind, Sylvia, I'd like to end our session a few minutes early.
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Ms. Bows:
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No problem Doctor. I'll see you next week.
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Dr. Balis:
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Good. On Tuesday. Have a good week Sylvia.
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Ms. Bows:
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Goodbye Doctor.
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Dr. Balis:
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Goodbye Sylvia.
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###
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Doctor Balis' Notes on this Session
Transcripts of Sylvia Bows' Therapy Sessions
