Time and the Riddle: Thirty-One Zen Stories Read Online Free PDF Page B

losing your moral principles, Miss Kanter.”
    â€œI am simply speculating, which has nothing to do with morality.”
    â€œWhat about the research?”
    â€œMy goodness,” said Miss Kanter, “you only told me about it the day before yesterday.”
    â€œThen this is the third day. What have you got?”
    â€œI gave it to Evelyn Bender, who is a friend of mine and teaches history at Hunter College, and she was absolutely enthralled with the idea and she’s going to charge you a hundred and fifty dollars.”
    â€œI said, what have you got?”
    â€œNow?”
    â€œRight now. Call her up.”
    Miss Kanter started to argue, looked at Dr. Blausman, and then called Evelyn Bender at Hunter College. Blausman went back to his office and his next patient. When the patient had left, Miss Kanter informed Dr. Blausman, rather tartly, that Mrs. Bender had only begun the project.
    â€œShe must have some indications. Did you ask her that?”
    â€œKnowing you, I asked her. She’s a scholar, you know, and they hate to guess.”
    â€œBut she guessed.”
    â€œShe thinks that perhaps ninety percent died in bed. She indicated that very few wounds are recorded.”
    â€œKeep after her.”
    There was a noticeable difference about General Hardy when he came back for his next visit. He sat down in the comfortable armchair that substituted for the couch, and he stared at Dr. Blausman long and thoughtfully before he said anything at all. His blue eyes were very cold and very distant.
    â€œYou’ve been thinking about your profession,” Blausman said.
    â€œWhose profession? This time you say my profession.”
    â€œI was interested in what your reaction would be.”
    â€œI see. Do you know how I spent the weekend?”
    â€œTell me.”
    â€œReading up on schizophrenia.”
    â€œWhy did you do that?” the doctor asked.
    â€œCuriosity—reasonable curiosity. I wondered why you had never mentioned it.”
    â€œBecause you are not schizophrenic.”
    â€œHow do you know?”
    â€œI have been in practice twenty-three years, General Hardy. It would be rather odd if I could not spot schizophrenia.”
    â€œIn anyone?”
    â€œYes, in anyone. Certainly after the second visit.”
    â€œThen if I am not schizophrenic, Dr. Blausman, what explanation do you have for my condition?”
    â€œWhat explanation do you have, General?”
    â€œWell, now—the neurotic finds his own source, uncovers his own well of horror—is that it, Doctor?”
    â€œMore or less.”
    â€œDreams are very important in the Freudian scheme of things. Are you a Freudian analyst, Doctor?”
    â€œEvery analyst is more or less a Freudian, General. He developed the techniques of our discipline. We have perhaps changed many of his techniques, modified many of his premises, but we remain Freudians, even those of us who angrily repudiate the label.”
    â€œI was speaking of dreams.”
    â€œOf course,” Blausman agreed calmly. “Dreams are important. The patient uses them to deal with his problems. But instead of the realities of his waking world, he clothes his problem in symbols. Sometimes the symbols are very obscure indeed. Sometimes they are not. Sometimes they are obvious.”
    â€œAs in my dream?”
    â€œYes, as in your dream.”
    â€œThen if you understood the symbols, why not tell me?”
    â€œBecause that would accomplish nothing of consequence. It is up to you to discover the meaning of the symbols. And now you know.”
    â€œYou’re sure of that?”
    â€œI think so, yes.”
    â€œAnd the truck?”
    â€œAn exterminator’s truck, obviously. I see you have remembered who you are.”
    â€œI am General Franklin Hardy.”
    â€œThat would make you schizophrenic. I told you before that you are not schizophrenic.”
    â€œYou say you have been in practice