Attraction

“Orville told Ben before he told me! Ben only told me because he was woozy and in the hospital from a near-stroke,” was how Edwina began the session.

“Now you officially know,” said “Placido.” “Does that feel any better?”

“Of course not! I told Orville that we have to talk now! But that hasn’t happened!”

“Placido” was frustrated, but was certain Edwina’s helpless act was an adolescent pose that she adopted when under stress. “I’ve suggested several times that you need to be more proactive if you are yearning for a conversation. If you are going to stay with Orville, you’ll have to work with his avoidant personality. If you are NOT going to stay with Orville, you’ll need to give him a heads-up. Couples counseling would be very helpful.” “Placido” did not do couples counseling. Neither did Placida.

Edwina sighed. It looked like she was pouting. Yes, people had different personas, different responses depending on who they were with, the environment, their own and others’ expectations. “Placido” was pretty sure by now that this cute little client felt that "therapy" was a place where she should receive sympathy, agreement, absolution, and advice that would give her an advantage.

For perhaps the fourth time, “Placido” asked Edwina: “How do you really feel about having children? How would a child fit into your life as it is?”

“I don’t have time for that now,” Edwina said. Did she mean the question? Or the child? That had not been her answer before. Perhaps Edwina’s veneer of “I’m-a-normal-child-loving woman” was finally wearing off. “Placido” suspected that the main wound was Orville’s non-communication and whatever that brought up from her past.

“I wanted to tell you more about BEFORE I met Orville! I was a different person. Do you remember what I told you about the TV station?” About my dream of having my own show about animals?”

“Placido” was slowly beginning to realize that the attraction Edwina had for “him” was likely physical. This should have been obvious, but her type was a new one for the therapist: Edwina was tiny, delicate, with short black hair, just a hint of olive in her skin, a dimple, a very mobile mouth, huge brown eyes with dark lashes, dark eyebrows, a way of gesturing with her hands like a dancer, looking exotic but speaking Southern. The package had been overshadowing the contents.

Going over her notes later, Placida was slightly ashamed that she hadn’t picked up on her own weakness here. But it happens, she knew, it happens. And she herself was going through menopause—a very wiggly time, psychologically. What now? Perhaps offer one more session and then close the show? It certainly wasn’t going to be Edwina who would notice anything amiss.

“Does YOUR therapist agree with you, generally? About your view of situations?” Edwina was on the phone with her friend Lisa.

“Not always,” Lisa said. “I think she tries to be objective while being sympathetic. Why? Does yours give you a hard time? I mean, that could be a tactic.”

“I thought there would be more exploration of ME,” Edwina said. “There could be a REASON I chose Orville instead of someone else. Why did I let myself fall for a guy who turns out to be so secretive? Shouldn’t we be discussing that?”

“Well, YOU haven’t told Orville that you’re seeing a counselor online,” Lisa said.

“Now you’re sounding like Placido!” Edwina exclaimed.

— Macoff