Michael's dilemma

Michael found himself in front of therapist Dr. Lambert

Dr: “Tell me Michael, what brings you in today.”

Micheal: “Seriously?”

Dr: “I’m here to help Michael, you can talk to me about anything.”

Michael: “I’m good, we can just sit here in silence for the next hour.”

Dr: “Well, today’s visit is court mandated. I would have to file a report if you do not want to open up.”

Michael: “I’m paying for this hour, and I just want to sit in silence.”

Dr: “This space is safe, and you can talk about anything. How are you feeling?”

Michael: (Silence)

Dr: “I read about your case. Do you want to talk about Eliza?”

Michael: (Silence)

Dr: “Do you get angry often?”

Michael: “No”

Dr: “Do you regret what happened?”

Michael: (Silence)

Dr: "Anger is a natural response to a certain events or situations, I'm not here to judge you. My job is to listen and make sure you are not a danger to yourself."

Michael: "And others."

Dr: "Yes, Michael. I have to report to the court that you are not a danger to others."

Michael: "Look, Eliza is fucking crazy, she tried to kill me. I was just defending myself; she said I pushed her down the stairs, but she launched at me. All I did was move out of the way and she couldn't stop herself and she fell down the stairs, she told the judge I hit her and that I was abusing her but that's not the type of guy I am. The judge just took her side because she's a crying tiny woman and I'm a big guy. One time she threw a dart at me when this one waitress at the bar brushed passed me and gave me a smile and Eliza saw that. I have not slept well because of her."

Dr: "When you say tiny woman?"

Michael: "Five feet two. A fire ball"

Dr: "And you claim that you were not the aggressor?"

Michael: "Innocent as can be. I acted in self-defense. she should be the one in this seat talking to you."

Dr: "It says in the transcript in Eliza's words, and I quote. 'Michael grabbed me by the wrist, dragged me to the stairs and pushed me.' Are you saying she is lying. there was evidence of wrist bruising. How do you explain that."

Michael: "Eliza came at me with a knife, I was grabbing her by the wrist trying not to get stabbed. She dropped the knife, ran at me, I was standing in front of the stairs, I moved, and she flew past me. She didn't even stay down when she fell down the stairs, she got back up screaming her head out. The cops were at the door couple of minutes after she had fallen. I told them how she came at me with a knife, but they didn't believe me since they didn't find the knife where I had last seen it where Eliza dropped it. She took it back to the knife drawer and so they didn't find my side of the story credible."

Dr: "So, what were you doing before Eliza showed up with the 'knife' as you claim?"

Michael: "I was in the upstairs balcony talking to a client on the phone. I sell toner like ink for printers. It pays well."

Dr. "Then, Eliza shows up 'knife' in hand? Why?"

Michael: "Look I've been trying to keep her clean. She's a drug addict. I found her stash in the room, and I took it and trashed it. She went nuts when she found out."

Dr: "But you didn't say that in court or to the cops."

Michael: "Look, Eliza is crazy and irrational now, but she was a good girl before the dope. and I didn't want to get her in more trouble."

Dr: "So you're not unhinged. What you claim is that Eliza is a drug user who went mad when you threw out her stash."

Michael: "Yes."

Dr: "So if Eliza made up all these things about you, why didn't you tell the entire story to the cops and the judge. You left out the drugs which would open up the case to a whole other investigation."

Michael: "I thought the knife was enough to give Eliza a hard time, but when the cops said they didn't find it and since I trashed the drugs, I thought it best to let things play out hoping Eliza won't go above and beyond with her BS."

Dr: "You made a terrible choice Michael."

Michael: (Silence)

Dr: "Look, I might not be able to change things, but I can help you move along faster. I said I wasn't going to judge you, but if things happened as, you say they happened, then that makes you one of the nice guys. Michael, that isn't as good as it sounds. Pay me another visit next week, we'll talk a little more."

Dr: "Stay away from Eliza."

Michael: "Like I have a choice."

Dr. (Smiles)

Michael: "Coming here. Dr. It's not like I have another choice."