I'm Doin' Great, Miz Trenton

This item contains Edit Points (EPs). EPs are the red numbers (~#~) that you see within this item. The Author has placed these at various points in order to gain detailed feedback. Readers may click any EP to leave comments about that particular point in the item.

I'm Doin' Great, Miz Trenton

~0~

(The exposition in this story is not a descriptive paragraph.  It is all in the dialogue, and it begins here.)
        Hello. Psych clinic, Carolyn Lawrence speaking. How may I help you?

~1~

I usually begin in the middle (midias res) with some kind of action.
        Ms. Lawrence, I am Lucinda Reeves. I am a social worker in Ft. Worth. I have a client who was treated on your unit when he was in prison. I need some information from you for his file. Can you help me?

~2~

        No, I am the secretary. When he was released from prison, his medical record left with him. It is archived in Huntsville. You will have to contact them to get copies of the file. Who was his therapist?

~3~

        He says her name was Mrs. Trenton. Is she there?

~4~

        Why, yes, I think I hear her in the hall. Mrs. Trenton? Hey, Abbey! Someone wants to speak to you about a former patient. I guess he is getting treatment in the world. You want to talk to her?

~5~

The preceding is the only setup since this story is completely told in dialogue.  This is part of the rising action.  I welcome comments.

~6~

(The rising action begins as Abby begins to speak with the social worker.  As the conversation continues, Abby's frustration rises with the tension.)   

    Yeah, sure. I wonder what she wants. I can't see him now! Hello, this is Abbey Trenton. What can I do for you?

~7~

        Mrs. Trenton, my name is Lucinda Reeves. I am a social worker. Marcus Kerson is a client of mine. I am with the Department of Human Services. Mr. Kerson may qualify for assistance through our office since he was in the Mentally Retarded Offenders Program.

~8~

        You’re kidding me. Kerson was treated in MROP because he couldn’t read. They kicked him out because they said he cheated on a test. When I saw him, he took medication for depression, but he wasn’t really depressed either. Taking medication kept him from working outdoors in the sun. He didn’t want to work in the field squad.

~9~

        But I think I can get him some assistance because of his former mental treatment while he was in prison.

~10~

        I saw him for five years. Mostly in group counseling. During that time he had some bad experiences--tried to commit suicide, grieved over the death of his brother, and, oh yes, his sister was shot, and his mother was diagnosed with cancer. But he learned something. He quit taking medication, went to work in Records Conversion--data input on a computer. Miss Reeves, That is really a pretty impressive improvement for someone who read at about a first grade level. I taught him to read. Can you get him a job? Make him go to work?

~11~

        No. He qualifies for assistance. He is here with me. He would like to talk to you. Is that O.K?

~12~

        Sure. Let me talk to him.

~13~

(Tension increases as Abby speaks with Kerson.  She finds the gains she thought she had helped he make were being lost.)
 
      Hello? Miz Trenton? Miz Trenton, how're you doin'?

~14~

        Fine, Kerson. How're you doing?

~15~

        I'm doing great, Miz Trenton. I'm married and she has two kids. We're doin' real good.

~16~

        Do you have a job?

~17~

        No, she works. But I'm gonna get a check form this program through DPS. Because I was a patient, you know, in prison. I took medicine before I saw you, too.

~18~

        I know that Kerson, and its DHS. Kerson, you goof off! You didn't need medication; you worked in RC. I taught you to read!

~19~

        Oh, I appreciate it, too. I got a driver's license. My wife has a car. How's the group, Miz Trenton.

~20~

        Everybody's doing fine. I'm going to tell them on you. You bragged about going to work and staying out of prison!

~21~

        I will stay out. Say, I can't come back. They'd give me too much time if I came back. It'd be my fifth time. No, I'm not coming back. DPS is going to help me. We'll do real good.

~22~

        What you need is to go to school or get some training and support yourself! Listen, Kerson, listen to me--you were good in RC. You bragged about it in group.

~23~

        Yeah, I did. But that was then, and this is now. I'm doing good.

~24~

        Marcus Kerson, you are snowing that woman. She is trying to help you and you are selling her a hog.

~25~

        I know, Miz Trenton, but she wants to help me, and they have this program.

~26~

(Climax of the story comes when Abby realizes the Kerson is no different than he was before his five years of psych treatment.  Her work was only effective in the environment of the prison.)

        All the good I did for you just lasted til you hit the world again, didn't it? Take care, Kerson.

~27~

       
(Falling action begins when Abby gives up.)
         
        You too, Miz Trenton. Tell all the guys I said 'Hi.'

~28~

        Yeah, sure, Kerson. Good bye.

~29~

(Resolution occurs when Abby accepts the reality of her situation.)
        Carolyn, I think it's time for me to retire. I've started to believe my own psych babble. Doing good in here has nothing to do with doing good out there. You know, I was really proud of how much he improved while I was seeing him for counseling. He's still going to make the state take care of him.

~30~

        You did the best you could, Abbey. I’m glad I’m the secretary.

~31~

        Maybe the cost is cheaper to give him the assistance, than to support him in prison. That'll teach me. Who's my next appointment?

~32~

Word count: 774

~33~