Julie Luekenga

Dr. Mathis peered over his glasses, making notes on his tablet. His client looked normal, except that blasted thermos he insisted on holding. Obviously Thurmond Baxter was suffering from delusions.###
Thurmond hugged the white and red thermos closer, finding comfort in its smooth round shape pressed against his belly and chest. He studied the doctor, one of those tan privileged types that grew up playing tennis and golf at a country club.###
Dr. Mathis sighed. “Can you try letting go of the thermos, Thurmond?” ###
Thurmond cocked an eyebrow. “No.”###
“Why not?”###
Thurmond took a breath. It was always the same every time his Aunt Velma made him see a psychiatrist. What business was it of hers, anyway? She always insisted he wasn’t coping and pleaded with him to see yet another doctor. For the sake of his parents, God rest their souls, he’d relented.###
Thurmond eyed the doctor skeptically. Dr. Mathis would probably just try to give him a pill that he’d flush anyway. “The thermos contains my dreams. People never believe me.”###
Dr. Mathis tapped the pink eraser end of his pencil against the pad. He glanced at the water cooler in the corner. Perhaps a reality confrontation would start to disintegrate the illusions. Walking over to the cooler he popped two paper cups from the dispenser and brought them back. “Why don’t you pour us a cup of dreams, Thurmond?”###
Thurmond hesitated. No doctor had actually asked him to share his dreams before. He poured himself a generous cup and dribbled just a bit into the doctor’s cup, not sure if he could handle more.###
Dr. Mathis felt like he was participating in a child’s tea party. “Look in the cups, Thurmond. What do you see? I don’t see anything. They’re empty.”###
Thurmond felt disappointed. He glanced at the clock; the session was about over. He reached for his cup and took a long drink letting the contents warm his esophagus. He closed his eyes—much better. When he opened them, Marla was standing behind Dr. Mathis. She looked lovely in her tight white sweater and red skirt that hugged her curves perfectly.###
Marla’s brightly painted red lips smiled. She looked at Thurmond and made the universal sign for “crazy”: spinning her pointer finger at her temple, cocking her head towards the doctor.###
“Thurmond, our time is up. We need to spend more time together, twice a week to start.”###
Thurmond looked at Marla. “I agree,” he said.###
Dr. Mathis was surprised by Thurmond’s response. “Excellent.”###
Marla leaned over Dr. Mathis, the tips of her soft breasts almost brushing his shoulder, her platinum blonde hair falling against the doctor’s ear. “You’ve got to stop listening to them and just be with me, darling.”###
“Our goal will be to lessen your dependency on this thermos and help you find other ways to cope with reality, Thurmond.”###
Thurmond pulled the handle up from the thermos feeling its smooth arch against his palm. “You’re absolutely right,” he said, staring into Marla’s blue eyes.###
Marla stood up and walked between the doctor and Thurmond. “Let’s go, Thurmond. Promise me you’ll stay with me this time,” she pleaded.###
“Please stop on the way out and make another appointment with the receptionist,” Dr. Mathis concluded the session.###
How could he have thought he could resist her? Why did he bother trying? “I will,” Thurmond told her with conviction.###
Dr. Mathis watched his client head out the door. Perhaps they’d made more progress than he’d realized. Thurmond really seemed to be coming around. Maybe the reality confrontation had been a break through.###
This could be a ground-breaking case for him—a write up in a professional journal even. Smiling, he picked up the empty cup and toasted himself: Here’s to you, Dr. Mathis and your career, cheers. He lifted the empty cup to his lips pretending to take a sip before laughing and crushing it in his hand.###
Dr. Mathis leaned back in the leather chair and closed his eyes, letting his thoughts wander: He was seated at a desk in front of chairs filled with esteemed colleagues all eagerly taking notes as he explained how he cured his client of his illusions with a new reality confrontation theory he had developed and implemented. They asked him questions, seeking his expertise. Of course, he was happy to share with them, but he insisted, as he held up his recently published best seller, it was all in here.