Free to Breathe

         “Before I was being harassed,” said Jack Henders.  “I couldn’t focus on anything, the harassment was so bad.  But it’s way different now.  Now, I don’t really experience harassment.”
         “We believe that the medication has had that effect,” said the psychiatrist, a man.  “How is your professional life?”
         “Well, I’m content with it,” said Jack.  “Producing a play.  It was written by a sort of hot shot writer and he threw it into the public domain.  Laura and I are both in it.  I love working as an actor.”
         “If you could make love to a famous woman,” said the psychiatrist, “who would it be?”  Jack gave them the name “Hannah Tret,” a very famous actress.

         “It’s just that if I was Sam,” said Nate, on the stage, playing her husband, “I would have thought that you were flirting with me.”
         “Oh, and you wouldn’t flirt,” Laura said, playing his wife.
         “This is no open marriage, you know damn well.”
         “Oh, I know,” she said.  “I know damn well.”
         “Then why are you dressing that way!?”
         “I dress how I feel like, and it’s none of your business.”  He slapped her in the face.

         “They were fun,” said Laura.  They were in the director’s house.  It was night.  “I don’t know about you.  I was still like a kid.  But I enjoyed the subject, and I liked my classmates.  I’ve still got a good friend or two from those days.”
         “I liked them too,” said Nate Roughle.
         “Where were you?” asked Jack.
         “The University of Toronto.  A double major in political science and history.”  Jack whistled appreciatively.
         “Do you miss Toronto?” Jack asked.  They were in Vancouver.
         “I’m here, I’m there.  I’m in Ottawa.  I’m in America.  No, I don’t miss Toronto.”
         “You’re in all of those places,” said Laura, “as a…”
         “Where were you?” Nate asked Jack, interrupting Laura.
         “The University of Alberta,” said Jack.
         “Drama?”
         “Yeah.”
         “Looks like it served you well.”
         “Jack is more of an Albertan than a British Columbian,” said Laura.
         “Oh,” said Nate.
         Who is this woman? thought Jack.  The Laura I knew wasn’t open.  She was distant around people she didn’t know well.  Jack knew it was the drugs, changing the love of his life into a friendly woman.
         “Do you still read very much?” Nate asked her.
         “Yes.  What about you?  Are you active in politics?”
         “No no.  I’m passive in politics these days.  Who has the time?”  At least she still looks the same, Jack thought.  She was blond, slim and tall, with a beautiful face that was somehow distinct.  Maybe she’s still the same person, deep down.

         Whatever was written down, it was a letter to Nate’s boss in the CCIO (Canadian Central Intelligence Organization) about two lovebirds (Jack and Laura) who were unmarried (see Appendix at end of story).
         Dear Eddie, it read,
         You know Elliot still asks about you.  His wife too.  Elliot is feeling much better these days.  His finances were tearing him apart, but it’s a good thing he’s got one level headed friend in me.  I set him on the right path - sure, I had to give him a little to get the ball rolling, and I was happy to do that.  Now he’s free to breathe a bit.
         Of course his wife had other problems, emotional problems, nothing so simple as a few equations.  I was no match for these problems; I am not a therapist.  She’s changing, day to day, but at least she isn’t getting worse.  Both of them have terrible reputations; him as a bum; her as a nutcase.  But it’s sad that it works that way, because he is no bum, and she is not a nutcase.  Two people in the wrong place at the wrong time; friends of mine I want to help; but there’s only so much one man can do, I guess.
         Why do I care at all?  I guess you aren’t wondering that.  I’m a human being, just like you.

Regards,

Nathan

         Nate opened fire on the trees with his pistol.  He was on stage.  Jack opened fire on the trees.  Nate’s character had brought pistols.  Nate put down his pistol and started firing with a rifle.  Jack reloaded his pistol and fired the whole clip at the trees.  Nate began to fire a shotgun at the trees.

         “Whoa, hot shot!” said Laura as Jack maneuvered his snowboard to a stop at the bottom of the hill, one of the easiest hills in the resort.
         “Hi baby,” he said.
         
         As they sat in a restaurant at the resort, waiting for their food to arrive, she said “I wish we could stay here forever.  We’re so far from the doctors.”
         “Me too,” he said.


Appendix: Nate’s letter to his boss in the CCIO - Codes (the letter uses codes)

Elliot: Jack
Elliot’s wife: Laura
Elliot’s financial problems: Harassment against Jack
Nate’s gift to Elliot to get the ball rolling: Nate’s aggressive actions against Jack’s harassers
Elliot’s reputation as a bum: The diagnosis of Jack as a schizophrenic
The incorrectness of Elliot’s reputation as a bum: The fact that the diagnosis of Jack as a schizophrenic is incorrect