K-Pax (3 page)

BOOK: K-Pax

11.49Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

ads

Whil
e

w
e

waite
d

I

reviewe
d

hi
s

medica
l

record
:

Temperature
,

pulse
,

bloo
d

pressure
,

EKG
,

and bloo
d

value
s

wer
e

al
l
withi
n

th
e

norma
l

range
,

accordin
g

t
o

ou
r

chie
f

clini
c

physician
,

Dr
.

Chakraborty. N
o
denta
l
problems
.
Neurologica
l
exa
m
(muscl
e

strength
,

coordination
,

reflexes
,

tone
)

normal
.

Left/right
discriminatio
n

normal
.

N
o

proble
m

wit
h

visua
l

acuity
,

hearing
,

sensin
g

ho
t

o
r

col
d

o
r

a

ligh
t

touch,
handlin
g
platoni
c

solids
,

describin
g

pictures
,

copyin
g

figures
.

N
o

difficult
y

i
n

solvin
g

comple
x

problems
an
d

puzzles
.

Th
e

patien
t

wa
s

quick-witted
,

observant
,

an
d

logical
.

Excep
t

fo
r

hi
s

peculia
r

delusio
n

and
tota
l
amnesia
,
h
e
wa
s
a
s
health
y
a
s
a
horse.

Bett
y

cam
e

i
n
wit
h

tw
o

larg
e

apples
.

Sh
e

glance
d

a
t

m
e

fo
r

approva
l

and
,

whe
n

I

nodded
,

offered
the
m
t
o
th
e
patient
.
H
e
too
k
the
m
fro
m
th
e
littl
e
tray
.
"Re
d
Delicious!
"
h
e
exclaimed
.

"M
y

favorite!
"

After
offerin
g
u
s
a
taste
,
whic
h
w
e
declined
,

h
e

too
k

a

large
,

nois
y

bite
.

I

dismisse
d

m
y
assistan
t

an
d

watched
a
s

"prot
"

devoure
d

th
e

fruit
.

I

ha
d

neve
r

see
n

anyon
e

enjo
y

anythin
g

more
.

H
e

at
e

ever
y

bi
t

o
f

both
apples
,

includin
g

th
e

seeds
.

Whe
n

h
e

ha
d

finished
,

h
e

said
,

"Thank
s

an
d

thanks,
"

an
d

waite
d

fo
r

m
e

to
begin
,
hi
s
hand
s
o
n
hi
s
knee
s
lik
e
a
littl
e
boy's.

Althoug
h

psychiatri
c

interview
s

ar
e

no
t

normall
y

recorded
,

w
e

d
o

s
o

routinel
y

a
t

MP
I

fo
r

research
an
d

teachin
g

purposes
.

Wha
t

follow
s

i
s

a

transcrip
t

o
f

tha
t

firs
t

session
,

intersperse
d

wit
h

occasional observation
s

o
n

m
y
part
.

A
s

usua
l

durin
g

initia
l
interview
s

I

planne
d

simpl
y

t
o

cha
t

wit
h

th
e

man
,

ge
t

to
kno
w
him
,
gai
n
hi
s
trust.

"Wil
l
yo
u
tel
l
m
e
you
r
name
,
please?"

"Yes.
"
Evidenc
e
fo
r
a
sens
e
o
f
humor?

"Wha
t
i
s
you
r
name?"

"M
y
nam
e
i
s
prot.
"
H
e
pronounce
d
i
t
t
o
rhym
e
wit
h
"goat,
"
no
t
"hot."

"I
s
tha
t
you
r
firs
t
nam
e
o
r
you
r
last?"

"Tha
t
i
s
al
l
o
f
m
y
name
.
I
a
m
prot."

"D
o
yo
u
kno
w
wher
e
yo
u
are
,
Mr
.
prot?"

"Jus
t
prot
.
Yes
,
o
f
course
.
I
a
m
i
n
th
e
Manhatta
n
psychiatri
c
institute."

I
discovere
d

i
n
du
e

cours
e

tha
t

pro
t

tende
d

t
o

capitaliz
e

th
e

name
s

o
f

planets
,

stars
,

etc.
,

bu
t

not
thos
e

o
f

persons
,

institutions
,

eve
n

countries
.

Fo
r

th
e

sak
e

o
f

consistency
,

an
d

t
o

bette
r

depic
t

the
characte
r
o
f
m
y
patient
,
I
hav
e
adopte
d
tha
t
conventio
n
throughou
t
thi
s
report.