"You two kid's seem to be a little tense today." observed Klaus the German goldfish, leaning back against the curve of his little round fish bowl. "It's getting close to your twentieth anniversary Stan. I would think you two would be happier and ready to celebrate, but here you are bickering."
Francine Smith swung around quickly, sticking her index finger in her husband's chest. "I swear to God I am getting so sick and tired of Stan's constant crushing of my dreams and making me do things I don't want to do, just to keep up appearances with the other spy's."
"What?" Stan retorted, "All I'm trying to do is protect our investments from your crazy ideas and get you out of the house a bit. Sheesh, a little fresh air would do you some good; Might loosen you up a bit Francine."
"Loosen me up? Loosen me up?" Francine's blood pressure boiled and her face began to turn red as she responded. "Why you uptight, arrogant, conservative; Republican! You need to loosen up. You are so uptight and predictable anymore. All of the spark has gone out of our love life. When was the last time you took me out, treated me right and made me feel special?"
"Well Francine," Stan responded, "maybe if you would ever do a single thing I asked you to do; or tried to be a little more creative in the bedroom."
"Right Stan, I need to be more creative. When was the last time you made love to me without your socks and T-shirt on?" she added icily.
"Hi folks." came the voice of Roger the alien as he entered the room. "Dr. Penguin, psychiatrist, psychologist, and family counselor at your service."
"No way Roger." retorted Stan. "We aren't going to allow you to soil our relationship."
"I guess we could go see Dr. Mendelbam again for $150 an hour." injected Francine. "
"Screw that." was Stan's quick response. "What have you got in mind Dr. Penguin?"
"Well Stan, I believe a few sessions of my trademarked "Couples Neuro Relaxation Therapy" will do wonders for the two of you."
"Tell us more." smiled Francine, moving closer to Stan, and taking his hand.
"It's quite simple really." Dr. Penguin continued. "I meet with the two of you, separately. I put you through a few mind recalibration exercises, and Walla! Everyone's happy."
"Oh, that sounds so exciting!" squealed Francine eagerly.
"I don't know." contemplated Stan, distrustfully.
"Have faith in me Stan," comforted Dr. Penguin. "I guarantee you will be happy with the results.
"Sign us up Dr. Penguin." beamed Francine.
"Okay then." Roger said as he pushed Francine towards the stairs. "Franny, you go on upstairs while Stan and I take care of the small matter of my fee. Then Stan, you can stay down here while Francine and I have her first session upstairs in my office."
Five minutes later Dr. Penguin and Francine were sitting in a corner of Roger the alien's attic apartment. "So Franny, what would you most like to accomplish from these sessions?" he asked as he puffed on a pipe and fidgeted with his tweed jacket.
"I just want Stan to be a little more adventurous with our personal life. He jets around the world assassinating people in all corners of the globe, but I can't get him to take me out for an exciting or romantic evening.
"Uhm hum, go on." Dr. Penguin droned as he scribbled sketches of Francine and her teenage daughter Haley in the nude on his pad.
"I just want to know he is proud to be with me," she said "that he thinks I'm still attractive; that he thinks I'm still sexy."
"I see." Dr. Penguin pondered for a minute. He had already anticipated Stan's objectives for Francine, so while he would work on her wants when Stan began his session, he would first work on Francine.
"I think I can help you Francine... Legerdemain!" He howled as he pulled a shimmering green ball from his jacket pocket.
Placing the orb in front of Francine's face, he let it go. Francine stared without emotion as the ball floated in midair and began spinning, taking on a luminous aura. Francine's eyes followed the flight of the spinning orb as it slowly moved left to right and up and down.
"Can you hear me Francine?" Dr. Penguin whispered.
"Yes..." she murmured.
"You are deeply relaxed...you feel weightless." He chanted deeply as Francine began to levitate a few inches off the ground, her face maintaining a spacial relationship to the floating green orb as her body swiveled into a horizontal position three feet off the ground.
"Francine I want you to listen to the sound of my voice; you feel comfortable and safe."
"I feel comfortable and safe." She responded back.
You know you are beautiful." He continued.
"I know I am beautiful."
"You are a desirable woman."
"I am a desirable woman."
"You like to please and tease."