The Schopenhauer Cure

42

Three Years Later

_________________________

Mankindhas

learned a

few things

from me

which it

will never

forget.

_________________________

The late–afternoon sun streamed through the large open

sliding windows of the CafГ© Florio. Arias fromThe Barber

of Seville flowed from the antique jukebox accompanied by

the hissing of an expresso machine steaming milk for

cappuccinos.

Pam, Philip, and Tony sat at the same window table

they had been using for their weekly coffee meeting since

Julius`s death. Others in the group had joined them for the

first year, but for the past two years only the three of them

had met. Philip halted their conversation to listen to an aria

and hum along with it. «вЂ˜Una voce poco fa,`one of my

favorites,” he said, when they resumed their conversation.

Tony showed them his diploma from his community

college program. Philip announced he was now playing

chess two evenings a week at the San Francisco Chess

Club—the first time he had played opponents face–to–face

since his father`s death. Pam spoke of her mellow

relationship with her new man, a Milton scholar, and also

of her Sunday attendances at the Buddhist services at Green

Gulch in Marin.

She glanced at her watch. «And now, it`s showtime

for you guys.» She looked them over. «Handsome dudes,

you two. You both look great, but, Philip, that jacket,” she

shook her head, «it has got to go—uncool—corduroy is

dead, twenty years passГ©, those elbow patches too. Next

week we go shopping.» She looked at their faces. «You`re

going to do great. If you get nervous, Philip, remember the

chairs. Remember Julius loved you both. And I do, too.»

She planted a kiss on each of their foreheads, left a twenty–dollar bill on the table, saying, «Special day, my treat,” and

walked out.

An hour later seven members filed into Philip`s

office for their first group meeting and warily sat down in

Julius`s chairs. Philip had wept twice as an adult: once

during that last meeting of Julius`s therapy group and again

upon learning that Julius had bequeathed him these nine

chairs.

«So,” Philip began, «welcome to our group. We`ve

tried to orient you to the group procedures during our

screening session with each of you. Now it`s time to

begin.»

«That`s it. Just like that? No further instructions?»

said Jason, a short, wiry middle–aged man wearing a tight

black Nike T–shirt.

«I remember how scared I was in my first group

therapy session,” said Tony, who leaned forward in his

seat. He was neatly dressed in a white short–sleeved shirt,

khaki trousers, and brown loafers.

«I didn`t say anything about being scared,” replied

Jason. «I`m referring to the lack of guidance.»

«Well, what would help get you started?» asked

Tony.

«Info. That`s what makes the world go round now.

This is supposed to be a philosophical consultation group—

are both of you philosophers?»

«I`m a philosopher,” said Philip, «with a doctorate

from Columbia, and Tony, my coleader, is a counseling

student.»

«A student? I don`t get it. How will you two operate

here?» shot back Jason.

«Well,” answered Tony, «Philip will bring in helpful

ideas from his knowledge of philosophy, and me, well, I`m

here to learn and to pitch in any way I can—I`m more of an

expert in emotional accessibility. Right, partner?»

Philip nodded.

«Emotional accessibility? Am I supposed to know

what that means?» asked Jason.

«Jason,” interrupted another member, «my name is

Marsha, and I want to point out that this is about the fifth

challenging thing you`ve said in the first five minutes of

our group.»

«And?»

«And you`re the kind of macho–exhibitionistic guy I

have a lot of trouble with.»

«And you`re the kind of Miss Prissy who gives me a

major pain in the ass.»

«Wait, wait, let`s freeze the action for a moment,”

said Tony, «and get some feedback on our first five minutes

from the other members here. First, I want to say something

to you, Jason, and to you, Marsha—something that Philip

and I learned from Julius, our teacher. Now, I`m sure you

two feel like this is a stormy beginning but I`ve got a

hunch, a very strong hunch, that by the end of this group,

each of you are going to prove very valuable to the other.

Right, Philip?»

«Right you are, partner.»