Dr. Timothy White begins to speak into his mini-tape recorder.
“Patient’s name is Paul Gibson, date of birth is February 3, 1976. He is being sent to be by the Arizona Hard Knox maximum-security penitentiary. His behavior is the cause of this visit. He has repeatedly committed acts of extreme violence against other inmates, and refuses to stop sexually harassing the female prison guards. I am to analyze the subject and report my findings and recommendations to the prison warden.”
Dr. White is in his early fifty’s, as his face would show. His hair is already gray from the stress of over eight years in medical school and one failed marriage. Dr. White would say he has the easy life now though. No longer is he married to a self-centered, money blowing, victim of the “me” generation woman. He has picked up a relationship with the bottle of Jack Daniel’s and the television set which often leads to nights he doesn’t remember, broken appliances, mutilated knuckles which are hidden constantly by his jacket cuffs, and extreme dizziness in the morning. Dr. White gets a page from his secretary.
“Dr. White” She says, “patient Paul Gibson has arrived, shall I send him in?”
“Yes, right away” the well-respected doctor says.
After a knock on the door Dr. White invites the patient in, who is accompanied by three guards and cuffs around his legs and hands. Paul looks like an average man, but looks can be deceiving. Inside his skull is a brain that lusts for blood so strongly that it’s color must have turned red.. Inside his rib cage is a heart. A heart that has been bruised, neglected, and pumps hate throughout his body giving that wicked brain the power it needs to produce constant violence.
“Nice to meet you Paul” Dr. White says while extending his hand to the patient, forgetting that his patient has a bright-orange jump suit on accompanied by handcuffs.
Paul gives a half smile at the doctor, noticing his mistake, and gives him a half hearted head nod.
“Let us begin right away Paul. I’m going to make this as fast as possible for the both of us. I have important duties to attend to at home after this interview, and you, well… You probably want to get back to your freezing cold metal toilet seat and bunk bed partner, so let us not waste time. I will proceed to ask you several questions, I will then take your answers and evaluate them, and finally I will report my conclusion of your mental status to your warden. Got it?”
Angered with the doctor’s comments Paul spits at the good doctor and hatefully replies with haste in his voice, “Yes, I understand, and I wish you could understand the condition your body would be in if I wasn’t cruelly restrained by these shackles.”
Dr. White begins the interview with a simple question, “Paul, anything you care to tell me about your childhood?”
“Yea, I had a dog and now it’s dead. I’m a trauma survivor.” Paul replies sarcastically.
“Alright Paul” Dr. White begins, “I apologize for my earlier comments. I had a bad morning. Let us be serious here and get this interview rolling. I need to know what it is that motivates your inner rage.”
“Guilt motivates me, sir.” Paul responds quickly. “Guilt from my previous crimes, guilt from the blood on my hands, guilt for having absolutely no remorse. Neglect, I was neglected my whole entire life by my parents, teachers, and peers. They let this happen to me, just as your co-workers are letting you succumb to alcoholism, neglecting your cries for help, and adding momentum to this freefall that you call your life.”
Dr. White’s jaw dropped open, but only for a noticeable second before regaining his composure.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about Mr. Gibson. Now, let’s stay focused on you. You are the patient, and I am the doctor. I need to know how you release this guilt. Violence seems to be one release for you, are there any others?”
“Yes,” Paul replies. “I release my guilt, pain, and suffering in one other way besides inflicting my pain on others. Before I tell you though, I must say that we addicts can see each other like a black bear in the North Pole. You can’t hide from me doctor.” After a small pause, as if to let his words settle in, Paul begins again. “I release my pain in my dreams, well nightmares I should say.”
Dr. White’s eyes open a bit wider after hearing Paul’s reply, and letting his curiosity get the best of him Dr. White politely asks, “Do you care to tell me about these nightmares?”
“Yes, I can tell you about them. Hell’s knights dressed in ebony armor riding on black horses chase me in my sleep. A land of pure fire is where I am forced to walk, barefooted with no destination. Lances and swords swing through my imaginary nightmare created body causing massive amounts of fear, waking me up in a cold sweat. Demons fly above my head waiting to take my soul, and capture my evil heart and crush it in their hands. Transparent ghosts float all around me, shouting death screams, which echo against the nothingness. Peaceful sleep is but a dream.”
“I see.” Replies the doctor. “Well Paul, I’ve heard all I need to, this interview is over. Tell your bunk bed partner that I apologize for the inconvenience, and my report will be ready soon. Bye.”
As soon as Paul’s three guards escort Paul out of the room, Dr. White picks up the phone and dials the penitentiary’s number.
“Hard Knox Maximum Security” the female voice on the other end of the phone says cheerfully after several rings.
“This is Dr. White, I need to speak to Warden Armstrong right away.”
After about thirty seconds, the warden is on the phone.
“Warden Armstrong speaking.”
“Hello Warden, this is Dr. White. I’ve just examined Paul Gibson, inmate number 0187, and my recommendation is to take his file, place it in the shredder, and put him in a solitary confinement cell and let him slowly die of starvation.”
“Dr. White that has been your suggestion for the last five patients I’ve sent you.”
Half angered, and half frustrated Dr. White begins with nothing short of authority in his tone of voice, “The taxpayers are paying good money to keep this man alive. Do you want to pay to keep a life-time criminal and crazed madman alive?”
“Understood Dr. White” says Armstrong.“ His file is in the shredder as we speak.”
The Interview was written by Jamison Withers on March 17, 2004