`I participated in the experiment'
'But our report stated that…' Dr. Cobblestone's face grew red with his exasperation at not finding the right words. `…
that you interacted with the subjects . . sexually.'
'Ahh,' said Dr. Rhinehart.
`Well?' asked Dr. Mann.
`Some neurotic young person I presume is the author of this slander?' said Dr. Rhinehart.
`Yes, yes,' said Dr. Cobblestone quickly.
`Projecting his latent desires onto the dreaded authority figure?' Dr. Rhinehart went on.
`Precisely,' said Dr. Cobblestone, relaxing just a bit.
`Tragic. Is someone trying to help him?'
`Yes,' replied Dr. Cobblestone. `Yes. Dr. Vener has . . . How did you know it was a young man?'
'George Lovelace Ray O'Reilly. Projection, compensation, displacement, anal-cathexis.'
`Ah, yes.'
`Is there anything else?' said Dr. Rhinehart, making motions of rising to leave.
`I'm afraid there is, Luke,' said Dr. Mann.
`I see.'
Dr. Cobblestone gripped his cane carefully in both hands and, aiming, banged it a fourth time on the floor between his
legs.
`What's this about dice, young man?' he asked.
`Dice?'
'One of your patients has complained that you're making him play some strange game with dice.'
`The new one, Mr. Spezio?'
`Yes.'
`We have patients working with clay, cloth, paper, wood, leather, beads, cardboard, lathes, wire … I saw no reason not
to let a few select patients begin playing with dice.'
`I see,' said Dr. Cobblestone.'
`Why?' asked Dr. Mann blandly.
`You can read my report when it's done.'
No one spoke for a while.
`Anything else?' Dr. Rhinehart asked at last.
The two older men glanced uneasily at each other and Dr. Cobblestone cleared his throat.
`Your general behavior lately, Luke,' said Dr. Mann.
`Ahhh.'
'Your impolite and … unusual behavior in our last board meeting,' said Dr. Cobblestone.
`Yes.'
`Your erratic, socially upsetting eccentricities,' said Dr. Mann.
`Your interruption of Dr. Wink,' added Dr. Cobblestone.
`We've received complaints from a few nurses here at QSH, several board members naturally, from Mr. Spezio, and…'
`And?' suggested Dr. Rhinehart.
`And I myself am not blind.'
'Ahh.'
`Batman over the telephone is not my idea of a joke.'
There was a silence.
`Your behavior has been undignified and unprofessional,' said Dr. Cobblestone.
Silence.
`You can read my report when it's done,' said Dr. Rhinehart finally.
Silence.
`Your report?' asked Dr. Cobblestone.
`I'm writing an article on the variety of human response to socially eccentric behavior.'