SCENE 6 INT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE The patient, ERIC, reclines on the couch. DR FELL sits in his armchair, pen and notepad ready. DR FELL So tell me, what do you dream? ERIC It's not a matter of dreams. DR FELL What troubles you, then? ERIC I'm a bat. DR FELL You're a bat. A bat as in... Batman? ERIC No, as in bat, fruit bat. DR FELL Eric the Fruit Bat? ERIC Yes, that's right. Am I normal? DR FELL Oh, yes, perfectly normal. ERIC People think they're fruit bats? DR FELL Oh, all the time. But to be clear: just a fruit bat, not a Vampire, or anything like that? ERIC No, no, not a Vampire. Why? DR FELL It's just a little bit more normal, people thinking they're Vampires. Nothing to worry about. Go on. ERIC That's about it. I like to fly at night and eat fruit. DR FELL Interesting. How do you fly? ERIC Very badly. I get a lot of bruises. Flying is not easy, you know. DR FELL So I'm told. And do you perch upside-down? ERIC Uh, no. It led to concussions and bumps on the head and it's generally disagreeable. DR FELL So, you basically just stand upright, flap your arms, run around in the dark and eat fruit. ERIC That's it, exactly, doctor. You're brilliant. Can you cure me? DR FELL I can submit to you that you're not really a fruit bat. ERIC I'm not? DR FELL No, you're just a rather silly person who likes to eat fruit in the dark. That's perfectly normal, of course. ERIC I'm normal? Oh, thank you, Doctor. You're brilliant. And to think people call you a head-shrink. I don't know why. Dr Fell puts his notepad down. DR FELL You think that's strange? ERIC I thought so, but I suppose it's perfectly normal. Behind him, Dr Fell raises a sharp machete. DR FELL Perfectly normal. I have quite a nice collection. But I lack a fruit bat. He swings the machete.

Roy, Funny scene. I lke the BAnTer about how he flies... "very badly." Reminds me of Monty Python's Hitler joke about his dog who has no nose."how does it smell?" "Awful." There seemed to be a turn around at the end where the patient was helping the psychiatrist, but it took the turn to dark about the head shrink. Would have enjoyed you going in that direction, but I guess you have to quit while your a head... Ba-DumDum. Nice job!

SCENE 6 INT. PSYCHIATRISTS OFFICE - DAY DR JONES: So Charles. Today is our last session. How do you feel about that? CHARLES: Good. DR. JONES: And do you believe you are ready for this to end? CHARLES: Yes doctor. I do. It's time. DR. JONES: It's good that you realize that. You know, I can't tell you its time. You need to know that yourself. Can you tell me why you know that? CHARLES: Because I feel no more pain. Or guilt. Or anger. DR. JONES: Why is that? CHARLES: Because I've let it go. DR. JONES: Excellent. What did you say to me when you came in here, all those months ago? CHARLES: That one must first forgive themselves, before they can forgive others. I've forgiven myself. And I've forgiven Rachel. DR. JONES: What about Elizabeth? Have you forgiven her? You said you did last time. Long pause - CHARLES: No I haven't. I can't. I thought about it this past week, and I can't. Dr. Jones looks surprised. CHARLES: Because she hasn't forgiven me yet. I need to know she'll do that. DR. JONES: Do you know she is here to meet you today? She's right outside the door. Probably reading a magazine in the waiting room. Charles looks shocked. CHARLES: She's on the other side of the world. Thousands of miles away. How can she be here? How do you know her? DR. JONES: She's the one person you can't forgive. But do you know she's the only one who came here to ask your forgiveness? CHARLES: (becoming emotional) No. I didn't. I didn't. Charles weeps. END

Scene 12 - Guilty Conscience (Yes, I am adding titles to my scenes now) INT. LUXURIOUS BATHROOM - MORNING Dr. Steve Kleinmann (43) is singing "99 Luftballons" in the shower, loudly and out of tune. He climbs out wearing a white towel around his waist. He stands in front of the fogged up bathroom mirror, grabs a hand towel and cleans it up. He stares at his reflection and smiles. DR. KLEINMANN: Mr. Kleinmann! Good morning. The doctor's reflection replies timidly. STEVE: Good morning, Doctor. DR. KLEINMANN: It's been a while since our last session. STEVE: I know. I apologise. I've been... busy. DR. KLEINMANN: (ironically) Tell me something I don't know! STEVE: Yes, of course. Silly me. DR. KLEINMANN: So, what's bothering you? STEVE: Well... I don't know... You see... I've been having this recurring dream. DR. KLEINMANN: Really! The cockroach dream. You know perfectly well that is just repressed anger stemming from Oedipal anxieties. Come on! Give me something juicy here. STEVE: Okey, okey. It's just that... lately... DR. KLEINMANN: Clock is ticking... STEVE: I've been feeling... guilt. DR. KLEINMANN: Woah! Wait a minute, guilt? Guilt about what? STEVE: Mr. Slocum. DR. KLEINMANN: Stop right there! It was not your fault that he committed suicide. He was a very disturbed person and you tried your best. The board and the police both cleared you of any wrongdoing. STEVE: That is not the whole story and you know it. I feel I... I may have pushed him too hard. DR. KLEINMANN: Listen Mr. Kleinmann. This is just a clear cut case of shock anxiety. You empathised with your client, which I warned you against in our last session, and now this is the result. I would prescribe a long holiday to clear your head. STEVE: But what about Sheila? DR. KLEINMANN: Sheila? Sheila... who? STEVE: Don't pretend. Sheila Slocum, Robert's wife. DR. KLEINMANN: There you go again. De-tach-ment. Never work on a first names basis with patients as it creates unnecessary closeness and... STEVE: What about the affair? DR. KLEINMANN: The affair? A couple of one-night stands does NOT constitute an affair. She was suffering from parallel transference, you being her husband's psychologist in such a tense period. He was a very troubled man... STEVE: But I took advantage of his trust because I wanted her. I lusted for her. She had to be mine. What if deep inside I wanted Robert out of the way? I could have broken his mind knowing that he could not stand it. He tried suicide before, and I knew exactly what wheels to turn to make him try again. DR. KLEINMANN: (sternly) Well, Mr. Kleinmann, this is a very important revelation. I was not expecting this. STEVE: So now what? DR. KLEINMANN: Well, I see only two possible outcomes. In one of them, you come clean about your feelings to the proper authorities. This will probably lead to the reopening of the case, scandal, and a long and tedious investigation. There is no way they can prove any intent, but you will loose all the trust you have built with your patients and probably never work again. STEVE: Hmm... and the other? DR. KLEINMANN: The other outcome is you identifying your feelings as a simple case of guilt by association. You wanted to help Mr. Slocum but his untimely demise left you with a sense of emptiness... a need for closure. And now you are rattling your brain trying to find ulterior motives for what is simply the case of a very disturbed man doing a very stupid thing that was out of your control. STEVE: I don't know, you may be right, but... What should I do Doctor? What should I do? SHEILA (O.S.): Honey, have you finished your shower? Breakfast is here. DR. KLEINMANN: (towards the door) Yes Sheila, darling. I'll be out in a minute. Dr. Kleinmann gets closer to the mirror. DR. KLEINMANN: I'm sorry Mr. Kleinmann, but our time is up. Dr. Kleinmann whistles to the tune of "99 Luftballons" as he drops his towel and exits the bathroom naked, walking into a sun drenched hotel room in the Caribbean.

Thanks, Jonathan; it could have gone much longer, I didn't even broach the subject of bats in the belfry. It's very Pythonesque--after I picked the name Eric (my characters so far A;B;C;D;E;F) fruit bat just popped into my head and the scene wrote itself. Since then I checked and there *is* a Monty Python sketch where a fruit bat is mentioned: A fellow intends to get a fish license for his pet halibut, named Eric; all his pets are named Eric, including a fruit bat. That must be why my brain made the association. An extra bit of Psychiatry.

FEEDBACK 11 Another good idea from you, well done and sun-baked. I suppose Steve is a "pro bono" client. Shouldn't Steve call out Dr Kleinmann when the latter says it was only a couple of one-night stands? I'm not sure about the meaning of "99 Luftballoons", but Freud might have some things to say about it. Sheila?

Hey Roy No hidden meaning with the song. The Dr. Kleinmann name sounded German, so I simply wrote the name of the only German pop song I know. I googled it and it turns out to be an anti-war song from 1983. Hmmm. I'm starting to think maybe I need therapy. "Pro bono"... I'm still laughing. Thanks for the feedback. (Yes, I know I am not addressing the "one-night stand" question. I'll have to say... denial?)

Scene 14 INT. PSYCHIATRIST'S OFFICE – DAY Dr. Carlotta SCHWARTZ sits on an old chair in her storefront office. Window sign says: “Psychotherapy. Ask about our Monday special.” WILSON sits on a worn sofa. DR. SCHWARTZ: Why did you come to me, Mr. Wilson? PATIENT: (points at window) We don't have a lot of money. DR. SCHWARTZ: “We...?” PATIENT: Ogrinc and me. DR. SCHWARTZ: Ogrinc being...? PATIENT: (places both hands to temples) Someone inside here. Someone else. DR. SCHWARTZ: (nods) And what's the problem? Don't “we” get along? PATIENT: We get along fine. It's other people. DR. SCHWARTZ: Other people? PATIENT: Well, like at work. I let Ogrinc drive me there. She drives better than me. But then I have to make her go back to sleep, 'cause I'm more responsible-- DR. SCHWARTZ: What kind of work is this? PATIENT: I'm a high school teacher. DR. SCHWARTZ: Aha. And Ogrinc is becoming a problem...? PATIENT: Sometimes, she won't let me take back control. And she says all kinds of awful things-- DR. SCHWARTZ: How awful? PATIENT: Bizarre, ludicrous things. DR. SCHWARTZ: Can you give me an example? PATIENT: Why the fuck should I give you an example, dick-breath? DR. SCHWARTZ: Because I'd very much like to know the kind of things Ogrinc says. An example, please, Mr. Wilson. PATIENT: That was an example. DR. SCHWARTZ: Oh. I thought you were just being rude. PATIENT: Not me. That was Ogrinc. DR. SCHWARTZ: (Stifles a laugh) I'm sorry, but you...I mean Ogrinc...had me going for a second, there. PATIENT: (Laughs) She does that all the time. And worse. DR. SCHWARTZ: That must be disruptive. PATIENT: A bit. But the kids love her. She keeps them alert. They never know what she'll say next. DR. SCHWARTZ: Dare I ask for another example? PATIENT: Friday, she called the sides of a right triangle, “the straight sides and the gay side.” She said it's a right triangle “because two sides are purple dinkular.” DR. SCHWARTZ: I sense a problem... PATIENT: The principal found out about Ogrinc's mocking him when he's on the PA. DR. SCHWARTZ: How did he find out? PATIENT: One of the nasty little buggers ratted on me. DR. SCHWARTZ: And you want me to help you get rid of Ogrinc? PATIENT: No, Wilson wants you to get rid of me. DR. SCHWARTZ: Wait. I'm confused. Who am I speaking to? PATIENT: Ogrinc, dummy. Look, Wilson thinks he made this appointment to get rid of me. But I made him call so I could get rid of him. He's been going quietly nuts for years, stuffing his feelings, ignoring the insults from the little morons. He can hardly function. Make the little putz go away so I can be in control all the time. DR. SCHWARTZ: I think there's a conflict of interest, here. PATIENT: How the fuck can there be a conflict of interest? DR. SCHWARTZ: Several ways. For example, who is paying for this visit? PATIENT: I will. (takes out $20 and hands it to Dr. Schwartz). DR. SCHWARTZ: Okay. Go back to sleep. I'll use hypnosis on Wilson. PATIENT: What just happened? Did something happen? DR. SCHWARTZ: Ogrinc paid us a little visit. But it's time to stop for now. Come back next week. That will be twenty dollars, please, Mr. Wilson.

FEEDBACK #2: That's awesome that Dr. Schwartz just got paid twice! Made me chuckle. I definitely got the Ogrinc / Wilson split - their dialogue feels very different from each other. I think the only thing that I wasn't 100% clear on was I feel like when Wilson is speaking, Ogrinc is there in that he/she hears everything. Therefore, when Ogrinc speaks, you would assume that Wilson knows what Ogrinc said which doesn't seem to be the case when Ogrinc reveals his/her plans to get rid of Wilson and pays Dr. Schwartz the $20. Let me know if this doesn't make sense!

Yes, I agree, the separation of Ogrinc/Wilson needs some tweaking. I tried to indicate that Wilson doesn't hear Ogrinc, at all. And Ogrinc needs Dr. Schwartz's help, so Ogrinc won't mind if Wilson gets screwed out of a few extra dollars. Many thanks!