Chit Chat & 23rd in the Amanda Saga: David the Hypnotist’s Report

Dear Ted and Jody:

The local weather forecaster got my attention yesterday on the 6:00 P.M. News. It seems we are going to get freezing weather for at least a week.  The way the fellow put it was “We haven’t seen cold like this since 2008.” That is the part that got my attention.  In 2008, the water all along Hall Road ceased to flow due to an obscure condition—freezing.  While the water and sewer lines at the road are 14 feet down, the water meters are literally in boxes just at ground level.  Apparently, sustained freezing is so rare they didn’t plan for it.  Supposedly the water company (a county agency) replaced the boxes containing the water meters with insulated boxes.  The operative part of that replacement is the word “supposedly.”  In 2008 we finally had to check into a motel to get water for bathing and the like.  The County Water folks word on this problem is to let the water run when it drops below freezing for a sustained period.  Interesting as both the water and sewage rates are measured by water usage (makes on hesitate to water plants in the summer months).  So, the county will experience a windfall in revenues if everyone flows their instructions.  I think this is the equivalent to a catch 22.

Nancy is quite proficient with her cane and picker-upper-thingie (which we are now calling a “grabber”).  I think I am being replaced by the two implements.  She does complain about pain in her knee.  I suspect the doctors must have wrenched the muscles and tendons in that knee when the replaced the hip joint.  However, it can’t be the knee hurting, for it was her first replacement and is made of titanium.  If titanium hurts it will be a first for science—feeling is a metal.  She goes in for her first car ride and incidentally visit to the surgeon for her post replacement checkup in about a week; so, we may find out at that time what the sensations in her knee are all about and possibly find a way to mitigate them.  If nothing else, we could by a large supply of her favorite alcoholic beverage and simply float it.

The prescriptions I ordered two days ago arrived today!  It was the first time they required a signature.  I guess the mail order pharmacist is really on to my ability to slip into idiocy.

I am attaching the next installment of what, for lack of a title, I am calling the Amanda Saga.  I did some math this morning (OK counting and addition) and find I am short of 25,000 words with this installment by less than 500.  Round up.

Warmest regards, Ed

PS: This image is one from yesterday. 

023 David the Hypnotist’s Report

Fiction in 1688 words by T. Edward Westen, 2016

 

David the Hypnotist was finishing his session with Mrs. Clarkton having already finished Mrs. Hastings, Mrs. White and Mrs. Anderson.  It took only a few minus for him to walk Mrs. Clarkton back to the present in a relaxed and comfortable state of mind.  He then told her she would awaken refreshed when he snapped his fingers; and, she would remember everything when she woke up and not be the slightest bit disturbed about going back to her childhood.   He snapped his fingers.

 

Mrs. Clarkton smiled and stretched.  “So, how did it go.”  Then she had a puzzled look on her face.  “I remember.”

 

“Now,” said David the Hypnotist “we need you to write down everything that you remember before you jumped off that swing when you were 4 years old.”  He handed her a note pad.  “If you talk about it first you are likely to change your memories to make them consistent with what other people say or what you think they say.  So, no talking until you are finished.  Then go through that door,” he said, pointing to the door leading to the lounge where the other women were.  “We can talk about where you came from then.”   He looked at the door to the main waiting room. “I’m going to go talk to your husband and Mandy.  We will hold off trying to hypnotize her as we may not need to.”

With that, he left Mrs., Clarkton writing at a desk in the corner of the session room.

 

Entering his main waiting room he found Mandy bouncing on Mr. Clarkton’s leg.  “Did you find the toy box?” He asked.

 

Mancy looked around with great anticipation on her face.  

 

David the Hypnotist pointed to a foot locker against the far wall from where she was bouncing on Brice Clarkton’s leg.   She jumped off his leg and bounded to the foot locker.  It was not latched so there was virtually no time delay between a clean floor and a floor strewn with toy cars, dolls, pull toys and even a teddy bear.  Clutching a stuffed replica of a lamb Mandy can back with a contented, yet possessive look on her face as she calmly climbed up in to the chair next to Brice Clarkton and sat quietly stroking she lamb. 

 

David the Hypnotist, said, “I left your wife making some notes. When she is done she will join th other ladies in a lounge I use for clients to make notes after a session.  I find it is best if they write down things immediately after, for as fresh they found memories seem to them, they do fade fast.”

 

David Clarkton asked “Is Mandy next?”

 

David the Hypnotist replied with a smile, “We may not need to even try.  Putting little children under is often very tricky.  I think we may have enough with the older women.  I have to tell you. If they are not the same women at different ages, they have me fooled.  Besides, children do not have the same intellectual capabilities to understand what they see when they are under and no context in which to place it.  So, it is best if we can avoid putting Mandy user.  Each one was upset by something in that time period.  So, it is best not to put Mandy through it as fresh as whatever upset them is for her.  Would you and Mandy like to join the other women while your wife finishes her notes and I type up a report based on my observations?”

 

Mandy insisted on taking the stuffed lamb with her as David the Hypnotist lead her and Brice Clarkton thorugh a hallway to the lounge. 

 

David the Hypnotist noted the women were having an intense conversation when he lead Brice and Mandy in.  Mrs. White was talking and hanking her finger “. . .they were all the same.”

David the Hypnotist interrupted.  “Mrs. Clarkton will join you when she finished her notes. Here are Mr. Clarkton and Mandy.  I’ll be back in about 10 minutes with my notes.”

 

David the Hypnotist went into his office. The computer was already on.  He clicked his note program and started dictating. “Three of the four subjects reported distinguishing among females of the same age living in the same dorm room by the color of their garb; and, each identified herself as wearing red. Two of the three confirmed the names of other girls living in the same room with her, again, identifying them by the color of their garb.  There were women, also differentiated by the color of the clothes they wore. These women were each called Mommy.  While the subjects were not unfamiliar with men, the only men they knew of were policemen. No personal interactions with men were reported until the subjects meet the man they called father. Paragraph.”

 

“The physical appearances of the four women are unmistakably identical but changed only by what, say, an age progression software program would produce with a photograph.  It is interesting to note they all appear to be in the same physical condition including weight, height muscle tone and even tightness of observable skin.  This for four women at 20 years intervals differences in between 24 and 84.  One would expect greater variation in height, weight, muscle tone and especially skin tightness.  There is none as far as this observer can tell.  Paragraph.

 

“All four women used the same relaxation vehicle to go under.  The details were identical.  All four women came out of hypnosis with the same facial and verbal reactions.  All four women seemed to accept their early memories without concern. Indeed, I would say, pleasure at knowing something again.  Paragraph.

 

“The two I queried about their reaction to riding in the police car reported they had never seen or ridden in any kind of vehicle.  Indeed, they both said they were focused on the police car pulling up as they thought it was most strange.  One noted, she wondered where the walk had gone.  The walk, form her description from the point of view of a 4-year-old tuned out to be similar to a covered moving sidewalk. Paragraph.

 

“Perhaps I have been reading too much science fiction, but I have the distinct impression the subjects were from another time. Indeed, all from the same other time.  While some allowances need to be made for them regressing to 4-years-old, their pronunciation was clipped and they seemed to talk faster than the present average of 110-140 words per minute dropping final syllables of words.  This would be consistent with a thesis of word speaking rates in maturing languages, such as Chinese speakers speaking faster than English speakers given the relative age of the two languages. Paragraph.

 

“If Mandy’s clothing from when she arrived last month is still available, an analysis of it might reveal if it is available today.  Paragraph.

 

To summarize, I am convinced the women are all the same person at a different age.  I suspect they come from a more mature culture than we live in today—the future.  I get the impression that the reason they each had difficulties in regressing back to their childhood, and, hence, the future, is that there they had few signs of being individuals as everyone looked and acted alike.  When they arrive here, except for Mrs. Clarkton who went into an orphanage, they got fathers and individual attention.  Even Mrs. Clakton was treated uniquely among the orphanage children.  It would seem in the future they came from, if the future is where they came from, people, at least women do not seem to be encouraged to be individuals.  The women, even at 4-years-old seemed to prefer the freedom to be an individual—unique and not identical to everyone else.  Paragraph. Print 5 copies. Save as four Amanda Sessions today’s date.”

 

David the Hypnotist looked at his watch. ‘7 minutes’ he though.  ‘Good.’  Taking the five copies of the report off his printer and his coffee cup from his desk, he went to the lounge were the subjects, Mandy and Brice Clarkton were.

 

No surprisingly, the four women, Mandy and Brice were seating around the circular table in the lounge.  Brice Clarkton was speaking “ . . .  all wore red when you jumped off the swing?”

 

His wife responded. “Not just that day.  I always wore red.  Each girl in my room wore a different color.  They all looked alike to me.  The colors let me tell them apart.”

 

Mrs. White interjected.  “I don’t recall a need to tell them apart.  We all did the same things together.  The momies always had us together.”

 

Mrs. Hastings joined in.  “I rememver it was always the Mommy that wore lavender that took us to breakfast.  Funny, I didn’t like her. But she was the same as all the others.”

“Perhaps you didn’t like lavender.” Said Mrs. Allen. “I know, I don’t.”

 

Ms. Hastings nodded. “Come to think of it, I don’t either.”

 

David the Hypnotist suggested, That is not surprising, for I have concluded against all the laws of physics, nature and logic you all are the same person at 20 year intervals in age.  I take it you have had a chance to compare notes.”

 

Mrs. Allen replied.  “I think the notes were a good idea.  It shows me that you are right, as all the notes are the same, except for minor wording differences.”  She looked around at her other selves. “But, I think we knew that.”

 

Mrs. Clarkton, Mrs. White and Mrs. Hastings all nodded and asked in unison “How?”

 

David the Hypnotist handed out his report to each adult.  Then he said, “I have to confess, I do not have a clue as to how.  I do suspect time travel of some kind that apparently went awry or rather goes awry every 20 years on Christmas Eve.  But, and this is a big but, time travel is not possible.  Even were it possible that you could meet yourself and not destroy the universe or yourselves defies the major premise of every science fiction book I have ever read that employed time travel.”

 

 

Author’s Note

I added some 400 words to the first installment of this SAGA.  They are totally redundant and change nothing at this point in the story. Most of those words will come in handy near the end.  It is only the first 400 words of that segment published on December 1. 2016: One Small Girl Found in the Brentwood District Answering to Amanda