“THEY” Cripple Society Volume 1: Who are “THEY” and how do they do it? An Expose in True to Life Narrative Exploring Stories of Discrimination. Cleon E. Spencer
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what flak such fine people as they must have to put up with in society. It was interrupted this time, as Owen went on to say with a grin “and this is Leo Aidan, a man who brings such life and vigor to our group as you have never seen before.”
“Oh, just listen to the reputation this guy is giving me,” he shot back mischievously. “You just wait and decide for yourself Collin, and you’ll find me to be one of the most peaceful people you ever met.” Everyone laughed and the ice was well broken.
Dr. Eldren looked at his watch. “Is Brett planning to continue his attendance in this group?” he asked of Owen.
“Yes,” replied Owen with a smile, “but you know he’ll be late!”
“Well, we can arrange the chairs and sit down at any rate,” suggested the doctor.
Chairs were placed in a circle, and as they were about to sit, the remaining member, Brett Culver rushed into the room.
“Sorry I’m late again folks,” he apologized, and greeted the other members of the group with handshakes and a warm comment of how nice it was to be here and see them all again. He included Collin in his greeting without introduction, as a part of his effort not to delay the meeting. “I’m making a real effort these days to be on time for appointments, and its working - almost! I almost made it on time this evening, but will have to do better in the future,” he said in self-criticism of a light nature. There was laughter and everyone was at ease as they sat down.
Dr. Eldren took the initiative. He spoke in the mellowing tones of a sympathetic man of seventy years of age. “As you already know, I am Dr. Eldren, a psychiatrist retired from private practice, and doing part time work in counseling here at Quilibet University. For the benefit of our new-comer, Collin Seldon, whom we are pleased to have join us, and also to refresh the memories of the remainder of us who met three times last spring, we will survey our purpose and accomplishments to date. Then hopefully we will be able to chart a course for the semester we are just beginning. Do you all agree with that approach?” he asked.
The doctor apparently wanted a shared planning and responsibility for this group - a mutual effort for the highest benefit. Collin was pleased immeasurably with that. He had already taken a cautious liking to this psychiatrist whom he learned had had a great deal of experience in a notable private practice which had involved him in the broader realms of the field. A man so experienced and mature would no doubt have a mind open enough to take in and deal with the ordinary, the extra-ordinary, the unexpected, even the unbelievable. Collin was becoming more impressed by the minute as Dr. Eldren spoke. His understanding tones befitted his humane appearance. His gray hair, almost white, yet thinned very little, rose up somewhat at the front, then swept back over his head in a medium length as though a crew cut had grown too long. Yet it was well trimmed at the sides, making it obvious that it was not really overgrown, but intentionally groomed that way. Dr. Eldren had put on very little extra weight in his older years. He was not exactly thin, but less than medium build, and a little on the tall side. His face showed slightly bulging jowls, common to a man of his years. He appeared to be holding his age well, except for one thing - his face appeared to be pale. He had a pleasant face, but it was very pale, Colin noticed. There could be a thousand and one reasons, either temporary or permanent for a person to have a pale face, he thought.
“This group was formed last spring, mainly on the initiative of Owen Winslow,” continued the likable doctor. “Albin Anders,” he said, as he looked at Albin with an affectionate smile, “was in Owen’s class. Perhaps you would like to tell us Owen, how you and Albin came to be here.”
“Yes,” replied Owen, “I teach a history of religion course and Albin was in my class. I half noticed, half guessed that he was probably having similar difficulties as I had when I was younger and struggling through college, so after I got to know him better through routine class work, I approached him on the matter. Sure enough it was with him as I had thought. I came and spoke to Dr. Eldren about him. Dr Eldren just about that time had Leo Aidan referred to him by a department head for counseling because of the difficulty he was having with a professor in the department. During the same semester in another of my classes I was getting to know Gilda Emerson. In this case I had no reason to believe she had any problem - she appeared to be doing well - until one day in an after-class discussion she revealed to me that she had been having problems in the past, but was now doing fairly well. Because of this information and further observation, I thought she could both help with and benefit from this group. I invited her and here she is. So with the project unintentionally growing into a support group, I began to scout around intentionally for more members, feeling sure by then that I was coming up with a gathering of people who had problems in common. Leo told me about a friend of his, Donna Coyne, whom he thought could ‘qualify,’ he said with a smile and making the gesture of quotation marks with his forefingers, ‘qualify for this group,’ he re-emphasized as he smiled at Donna nearby.
Owen continued, “Last but not least, till now anyway, is Brett Culver. Brett was the last to join us last spring. Although he has been registered in evening courses here at the university for the past two years, it was really from patronizing one of his business establishments that I came to know him well. Then to my surprise one evening, I met him in the registrars office here at the university. Once again from observation and conversation, I realized he was another one for the group.”
“Another one of us” jested Collin.
“Yes” said Owen, “another one of us. I seem to have developed a nose for such people now,” he quirked, “guess you could call it ‘attraction to one’s own kind,’ or something like that.”
The members chuckled collectively as Owen continued, “Then it happens that just last evening I met Collin Seldon in, of all places, a psychology class. He is not only the latest addition to our numbers, but the one I’ve been able fastest to recruit - just took one class and a very brief but intensely productive meeting with him.”
“You’re getting to be very good at this Owen, you’ll straighten us all out yet,” interjected Leo. Everyone laughed - except Collin. He knew the remark was intended only as a jest, but for him it contained a grave misstatement which had cost him dearly in the past, which he could never accept, and which would always keep him wary. Attempting to straighten us out will never work for us, he thought to himself.
“Thank you, Leo,” responded Owen, and, as he looked at the unsmiling Collin, “I only hope he decides to stay with us for a while.”
“Don’t worry, Owen, I’ll be here for a while,” Collin reassured him.
“All right, that’s how we all came to be together,” intervened Dr. Eldren. “Referring again to our progress to date, last spring each of the members present did an I.Q. and other relevant testing, mainly to verify what we already thought, that here we have a group with this in common, that you are all highly intelligent, and there is little or no indication of serious personality problems. There was an interruption from Leo as he rolled his eyes, stretched the upper part of his body upward as he rocked it from side to side in a mocking gesture of mimicking a conceited one. “Yea, we do rate after all-maybe not as we should in society, maybe not always in the classroom, but at least in the results of psychological testing, we do rate,” he blurted out in a rollicking manner that brought smiles and laughter.
Collin smiled only, but a mixed feeling of amusement and satisfaction went deep, O so deep inside him, for here he was at last in the company of people with whom he had much in common. As humorous as Leo’s antics went over though, Collin couldn’t laugh aloud, for again Leo had unknowingly struck a meaningful and painful note. Collin glanced across at Albin, who also had smiled only. But he knew that young Albin’s laughter was being stifled by the weight of his burdens rather than by any mature and meaningful thoughts on the matter. I will stay on here just as long as it takes to help that young chap, thought Collin with a feeling of sympathy towards him. There are limitations to what I can do for him, but I’ll help him somehow.
Dr. Eldren took control again after laughing with the others. “I’m glad you can accept it in such a good frame of mind Leo.” He then turned to Collin, “Leo in his fun making