Phyllis Barbarosa dawdled over her lunchtime Peach yogurt. Dark haired at 45, her strong face with high cheekbones, porcelain skin and long, lean frame were any man's delight. She wore a white, silk blouse, dark hose and dark flat shoes. Her hands were delicate and strong, her nails painted red. Her blue eyes were her best feature. Only small wrinkles around her eyes betrayed her age.
Her friend Ginger Bain, a plump, grandmotherly woman of 55 with shocking red hair bustled in with files under her arm and a fast food bag in her hand. She wore a brown business suit, a tie with a pearl pin, and her brown eyes were under furrowed brows. "Coming down already," she sighed, "It's going to be shit getting home tonight. You'll have to be careful."
"Yeah. How was your morning?"
"Long and drawn out. Three sessions, slow going. Being a counselor is harder work that I ever thought. You?"
"About the same. It's tough to give people good advice and have them ignore it."
Ginger sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "The only good part is we get paid really well for it.
Phyllis shook her head and spooned another mouthful in. "Yeah. And the fringe benefits. Got any appointments this afternoon?"
"One, " she said, unwrapping her burger and fries. "Excessive guilt complex. Think I'll have to take it past his limits to get him out of his funk." Her brow furrowed as the catsup frustrated her attempts to open it with short nails.
Phyllis reached over and tore it open for her. "Another bank clerk?"
"Yeah. Already flogged him twice and he thinks he deserves more."
"Well, Ginger, you're the one to give it to him. It should break the monotony."
"Thanks, love. Though I'd rather be on the receiving end."
"Think I'll get there today," she said, licking a spoonful of whiteness with unnecessary wantonness.
"Oooh, lucky you. I'm envious; it's going to be another week before I can take it after my last aggressive patient."
"You never listen to me, Ginger. I told you never let that old German Stasi woman handcuff you."
Ginger shook off the reprimand and continued. "Read his file yet? What's he like?" She started on her lunch with gusto, devouring her food as if she were ending a three day fast.
Phyllis picked up a file and flicked it open. "Bank clerk, middle aged, single all his life. Somebody mad at the world, what life has dealt him, etc., etc. Has a boss who enjoys pushing his buttons. Raised by a smothering mother. Repressed sexuality, repressed ego, repressed damn near everything."
"Sounds like a challenge. Think he's ready to crack?"
"Oh yes. Just a matter of when."
"Can I watch through the 2 way?"
"Of course, Ginger. He's not coming in until 4:30. I'll return the favor and keep an eye on your session. How far are you going to push your dweeb?"
"What a dear you are. Oh, I'm going to push him a very long way indeed. Probably have to bust his balls." She took a glance at her watch. "Oops, gotta run. He's probably in the waiting room already."
"See you, soon, Ginger."
Ginger looked at her watch, gave Phyllis a smirk and bustled out. Ginger left in such a hurry her chubby body jiggled in three different directions as she exited. Phyllis glared at the storm and fished the last of her yogurt from the container before leaving to the observation room.
Later that afternoon, Mike Shealy sat timidly on his chair and looked across as his therapist. He was tall, heavy, his scalp half covered by greying hair, blue eyes distorted behind thick glasses. His faint blue shirt was damp with sweat under his suit, and his black tie reached only three quarters of the way to his belt. Shaking, he rubbed his hands in his lap as if still cold from the five block walk from his bank office.
Phyllis took down her reading glasses and put the file on her desk. "Mr. Shealy, how long were you in therapy with Dr. Jones?"
"Five years," his voice quavered, "once a week except vacations."
"And have you made progress with your inferiority complex?"
"Well, a little, but I'm a nobody. I don't matter in the grand scheme of life. I'm coping better, though, I can tell. Last night I slept pretty well, and only got up to pee."
"Married?"
"No. Never close. I did the bars when I was in my 20s, but it was humiliating." "Oh? How come?"
"I'm shy, not an initiator, can't get conversations started."
"And now you're around 50?"
"Yes, Dr. Barbarosa."
"Tell me about your work, Mr. Shealy."
"Well, I work down the street, been there for 25 years. Started as a teller and now I'm a private banker. Nothing but numbers from morning till night."
"Any chance of a promotion?"
"No," he said, twisting his hands in his lap. "Hit the ceiling there, I'm afraid."
"How's your relationship with your boss? Your coworkers?"
"I get along all right with everybody." His lip began to quiver.
"You sure about that?"
"Pretty much everybody."
"Let's try again. I don't even have to look at your file. You're not comfortable with somebody."
He looked at the ceiling and then back down in her direction. "Well, my boss pushes me. She has to, I'm a bit of a plodder. She says I goof off too much at work." His hands still rubbed each other, trembling, and his eyes flitted from one corner of the ceiling to another: he didn't look her straight in the eye.
"Do you goof off at work?"
"No, not much, really. Only when everything's caught up and nothing's happening."
"Does your boss abuse you?"
"I bet your pardon?" His eyes came to meet her in shock.
"Does she call you names? Make fun at your expense? Berate you in front of others?"
He looked down, his body still shaking and his hands still working in his lap. Phyllis kept her silence, waiting for him to speak, never taking her eyes off him. "Yes," he whispered.
"What does she call you?"
"Dumbass. Shithead. Idiot. Shit for brains. Jackoff."