th e new s tha t th e searc h committe e ha d narrowe d dow n thei r lis t o f possibl e candidate s for permanen t directo r t o four-thre e fro m outsid e th e hospital , an d myself . Th e chai r o f tha t committe e was Dr . Klau s Villers.
Viller s i s th e kin d o f psychiatris t usuall y portraye d i n films : sixtyish , pale , tri m gra y goatee , heavy
Germa n accent , an da stric t Freudian . I t wa s clea r tha t h e ha d selecte d th e othe r thre e name s personally.
I wa s familia r wit h thei r wor k an d each , o n paper , wa s a reasonabl e facsimil e o f Viller s himself . Bu t all ha d outstandin g credentials , an d I wa s lookin g forwar d t o meetin g them . M y ow n candidac y wa s not unexpected , bu t I ha d mixe d feeling s abou t th e directorship-i t woul d hav e mean t permanentl y givin g up mos t o f m y patients , amon g othe r things.
Whe n tha t busines s wa s take n car e o f I summarize d fo r m y colleague s wha t I ha d learne d s o far abou t prot.
Viller s an d som e o f th e other s agree d tha t i t woul d b e a wast e o f tim e t o procee d wit h ordinary psychoanalysis , bu t though t m y attemp t t o "humanize " hi m woul d als o prov e fruitless , suggestin g instead som e o f th e newe r experimenta l drugs . Other s argue d tha t thi s approac h wa s prematur e and , i n an y case, withou t th e consen t o f th e patient' s family , th e lega l ramification s coul d becom e complicated . Thus , i t was generall y agree d tha t a greate r effor t shoul d b e made , b y th e polic e a s wel l a s myself , t o determin e his tru e identity . I though t o f Meyerbeer' s oper a L'Africaine , i n whic h Ine z await s th e retur n o f her long-departe d lover , Vasc o d a Gama , an dI wondered : Wa s ther ea famil y somewher e i n thi s wid e world ferventl y hopin g an d prayin g fo ra missin g husban d an d father , brothe r o r so n t o reappear?
Sessio n Three
TH E testin g too k al l mornin g an d hal f th e afternoo n o f Ma y twenty-third . I ha d othe r pressin g duties muc h o f tha t time , no t th e leas t o f whic h wa s a n emergenc y facilitie s committe e meetin g t o approv e the purchas e o f a ne w line n drye r fo r th e laundr y roo m followin g th e irreversibl e breakdow n o f on e o f the tw o ol d ones . Bett y McAlliste r serve d ver y wel l i n m y place , however.
A t th e time , Bett y ha d bee n wit h u s fo r eleve n years , th e las t tw o i n th e capacit y o f hea d nurse . She wa s th e onl y perso n I ha d eve r me t wh o ha d rea d al l o f Taylo r Caldwell' s novels , an d a s lon g a s I had know n he r ha d bee n tryin g t o ge t pregnant . Althoug h sh e ha d resorte d t o almos t ever y know n scientific an d fol k remedy , sh e eschewe d th e so-calle d fertilit y pill s because , a s sh e pu t it , " I onl y wan t th e one , not a whol e menagerie. " Non e o f thi s affecte d he r work , however , an d sh e consistentl y performe d he r duties cheerfull y an d well.
Accordin g t o Betty' s report , pro t wa s extremel y cooperativ e throughou t th e examinatio n period. Indeed , th e
Viller s i s th e kin d o f psychiatris t usuall y portraye d i n films : sixtyish , pale , tri m gra y goatee , heavy
Germa n accent , an da stric t Freudian . I t wa s clea r tha t h e ha d selecte d th e othe r thre e name s personally.
I wa s familia r wit h thei r wor k an d each , o n paper , wa s a reasonabl e facsimil e o f Viller s himself . Bu t all ha d outstandin g credentials , an d I wa s lookin g forwar d t o meetin g them . M y ow n candidac y wa s not unexpected , bu t I ha d mixe d feeling s abou t th e directorship-i t woul d hav e mean t permanentl y givin g up mos t o f m y patients , amon g othe r things.
Whe n tha t busines s wa s take n car e o f I summarize d fo r m y colleague s wha t I ha d learne d s o far abou t prot.
Viller s an d som e o f th e other s agree d tha t i t woul d b e a wast e o f tim e t o procee d wit h ordinary psychoanalysis , bu t though t m y attemp t t o "humanize " hi m woul d als o prov e fruitless , suggestin g instead som e o f th e newe r experimenta l drugs . Other s argue d tha t thi s approac h wa s prematur e and , i n an y case, withou t th e consen t o f th e patient' s family , th e lega l ramification s coul d becom e complicated . Thus , i t was generall y agree d tha t a greate r effor t shoul d b e made , b y th e polic e a s wel l a s myself , t o determin e his tru e identity . I though t o f Meyerbeer' s oper a L'Africaine , i n whic h Ine z await s th e retur n o f her long-departe d lover , Vasc o d a Gama , an dI wondered : Wa s ther ea famil y somewher e i n thi s wid e world ferventl y hopin g an d prayin g fo ra missin g husban d an d father , brothe r o r so n t o reappear?
Sessio n Three
TH E testin g too k al l mornin g an d hal f th e afternoo n o f Ma y twenty-third . I ha d othe r pressin g duties muc h o f tha t time , no t th e leas t o f whic h wa s a n emergenc y facilitie s committe e meetin g t o approv e the purchas e o f a ne w line n drye r fo r th e laundr y roo m followin g th e irreversibl e breakdow n o f on e o f the tw o ol d ones . Bett y McAlliste r serve d ver y wel l i n m y place , however.
A t th e time , Bett y ha d bee n wit h u s fo r eleve n years , th e las t tw o i n th e capacit y o f hea d nurse . She wa s th e onl y perso n I ha d eve r me t wh o ha d rea d al l o f Taylo r Caldwell' s novels , an d a s lon g a s I had know n he r ha d bee n tryin g t o ge t pregnant . Althoug h sh e ha d resorte d t o almos t ever y know n scientific an d fol k remedy , sh e eschewe d th e so-calle d fertilit y pill s because , a s sh e pu t it , " I onl y wan t th e one , not a whol e menagerie. " Non e o f thi s affecte d he r work , however , an d sh e consistentl y performe d he r duties cheerfull y an d well.
Accordin g t o Betty' s report , pro t wa s extremel y cooperativ e throughou t th e examinatio n period. Indeed , th e
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