Conceptual Art

Conceptual Art: A Thriller

Prologue

(The following printed document of Dr. Samuel G. Thatchet's interview with Samuel Jones, which took place on Tuesday, August 13

at 9:30 A.M., is a direct transcript of the recording. It has been formatted and edited for detailed purposes. The formatting and editing has been permitted.)

Dr. Samuel G. Thatchet

Behavioral Psychologist

Institute of Abnormal Psychology

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey

Psychological Profile; Document one of five

Samuel Jones

Photographer of Fine Arts and Commercial Publications

New York, New York

Currently held in Worchester County Prison

Pending Criminal Trial for one count of Rape and Assault

Two counts of accessory to Rape and Assault

* * *

Dr. Thatchet: How are you this morning, Samuel?

S. Jones: What do you think? (Coughs) How you would feel if you were in prison?

Dr. Thatchet: Not your first choice for a vacation spot?

(No answer from Jones.)

Dr. Thatchet: How does everyone treat you here?

S. Jones: Like a fucking prisoner.

Dr. Thatchet: Do you get along with your inmates?

S. Jones: I get beat up almost every fucking day. I'm a human yo-yo. We get along great.

Dr. Thatchet: And how do you feel about that?

S. Jones: (Coughs and clears throat.) What do you fucking think? I ain't happy with it. Who the fuck would be?

Dr. Thatchet: Right. Is there anyone here that you get on well with?

S. Jones: A dude named Pollack.

Dr. Thatchet: Is he your only friend?

S. Jones: He ain't what you may call a friend, but he's cool. He understands me when I talk to him about stuff.

Dr. Thatchet: When you talk about . . . what?

S. Jones: (Pause.) Stuff. The bitch.

Dr. Thatchet: Ms. Marjorie Geller?

S. Jones: (Another Pause.) Yeah.

Dr. Thatchet: Such as?

S. Jones: Such as . . . What?

Dr. Thatchet: What sort of things about Ms. Geller do you discuss with . . . Pollack, is it?

S. Jones: Yeah, Pollack. Stuff about her. You know, just . . . stuff about her.

Dr. Thatchet: (Clears throat.) Good stuff, or bad stuff?

S. Jones: Both.

Dr. Thatchet: What sort of good things?

S. Jones: (Shifts sitting position.) She was a wonderful girlfriend.

Dr. Thatchet: In what ways was she wonderful?

S. Jones: (Long Pause.) She was sweet and (pauses) had qualities that no other woman I ever dated had. (Coughs.) She ate chocolate and strawberries in bed and giggled and smiled a lot. (Pause.) She has lovely blonde hair and the most enigmatic hazel-green eyes I've ever seen. Her body is a work of art in itself. She made me feel good about myself. Made me feel needed and loved. She was . . . amazing. And sex was her forte. She was always a good lay.

Dr. Thatchet: She was good in bed?

S. Jones: (Chuckles.) Yup. Always up for it. Never said no. A fucking great lay. By far the best lover I ever had.

Dr. Thatchet: Did you love Ms. Geller?

S. Jones: (Pause.) Yeah. I did.

Dr. Thatchet: Do you love Ms. Geller now?

S. Jones: I love her to death. (Sinister chuckle.)

Dr. Thatchet: Would you care to elaborate on that?

S. Jones: (Chuckles again.) I love her

to death

. I want the bitch dead.

Dr. Thatchet: May I ask why?

S. Jones: (Angrily.) Because of what she's done to me. I ain't supposed to be here. She put me here. She's taken my money, my career, my life. I was one of the best photographers out there. My reputation was impeccable. I was getting offers to work in Milan, Paris, even Japan. And now? I ain't worth shit now. I ain't worth shit because of that bitch.

Dr. Thatchet: Is this about the photographs?

(No response from Jones.)

Dr. Thatchet: Did you not sell photographs of Ms. Geller to various galleries and pornographic magazines without her consent?

S. Jones: (Pause.) If you stand in front of the barrel of a gun, you're shot bound. Did she expect me, a professional photographer with a thriving career, to

not

sell her photographs? It was my best work.

She

was my best work.

Dr. Thatchet: You're saying she's responsible for what's happened? Despite not knowing what was happening?

S. Jones: I was just paying the bills while broadening my credentials as the photographer of distinction that I am. Was, actually.

Dr. Thatchet: By being dishonest to Ms. Geller?

S. Jones: She told me not to sell them or show them to anyone, but I knew a career opportunity when I saw it.

Dr. Thatchet: So you've confessed to selling the photographs without her consent?

S. Jones: (Long Pause.) I've got nothing to lose anymore. I'm just happy that she's getting punished for it.

Dr. Thatchet: Are you referring to the rapes and assaults that Ms. Geller was subjected to a few weeks ago?

S. Jones: It's gonna get worse.

Dr. Thatchet: (Clears Throat.) How worse?

S. Jones: You may think I'm kidding, but what happened to her was not quite enough of a punishment. She will never forget what she did to me — putting me in jail, destroying my career. Suing me wasn't enough, was it? She then accused me of attempt of rape and murder. Fine, I admit to it. But the rape will be a good reminder that she won't live in peace while I rod in here. But that won't be all. The torture that's to come will be much worse. My friend, the one who banged her a few weeks ago, will teach her a few more lessons. And there's nothing you or the law can do about it. You can quote me on that one. I think it's a good idea that she continues to endure pain, especially in the long run, when she'll think the nightmare's finally over. If she thinks she's gonna take the money and move on with her life at my expense she's got another thing coming. (Sobs.) She's gonna continue to endure pain until she can't fucking take it anymore. I'm her worst nightmare. She took my life and my career and now it's her turn to suffer. (Continues to sob.) And that asshole lawyer of hers will also pay. You'll see.

Dr. Thatchet: (Long pause.) Do you, consciously, feel that Ms. Geller indeed deserves such crucial punishment?

S. Jones: (Pause.) She would be fine now . . . (continues to sob) . . . if she hadn't sued me and then sent me to jail.

Dr. Thatchet: She wouldn't have been subjected to the rapes and assaults if she hadn't taken civil action against you?

S. Jones: That's what I said.

Dr. Thatchet: But what about the alleged rape that took place on July 16

of last year? Why did you attack Ms. Geller then?

S. Jones: It was after she'd won the lawsuit. The rape was substantial punishment for what she'd done. I never thought she'd turn me in.

Dr. Thatchet: And then you had your friend rape and torture her to intimidate her into dropping the charges?

S. Jones: Yes.

Dr. Thatchet: How did she find out about the photographs?

S. Jones: (Clears Throat.) One of her friends, an art dealer from New Orleans, told her she'd seen a nude photograph of Marjorie on sale at a gallery web site. Marjorie knew nothing about it and, of course, she freaked out.

Dr. Thatchet: And then?

S. Jones: And then she dumped me.

Dr. Thatchet: And then she filed a lawsuit against you?

S. Jones: (Sounds annoyed.) Yeah.

Dr. Thatchet: As your appointed psychologist, I shall continue to have sessions with you until I have an accurate analysis and can decide on whether you're mentally ill. However, I cannot reveal the analysis until I'm summoned to testify in court.

(No response from Jones.)

Dr. Thatchet: (Long Pause.) That seems to be all the time we have.

S. Jones: No. Maybe

you

the one who ran out of time. I've got all the fucking time in the world. And tell Marjorie that I have no intention of leaving her at peace. She ruined my life, now I'm going to ruin hers. This is only the beginning.

(End of Document one of five.)