Free Inanimate by Deryck Jason Page B

second hand or
broken beyond repair. Connor sat reading a book entitled “The
Tastiest Squirrel” under the quiet observation of Doctor Paul
Frieda. An expert in child psychology, Frieda knew the best way to
open up a child was with patience. Noticing the rate Connor turned
the pages he decided to open with a compliment.
    “ You’re a very fast reader
Connor; you must be a very bright boy.”
    With a flick Connor turned another page. He
didn’t acknowledge the doctor at all.
    “ I know that book, it’s very good; I read it
to my kids.
    This comment did get Connor’s attention
and he looked up from his book.
    “ You have kids?”
    “ Yes” replied Frieda “I have a girl and a
boy about your age.”
    “ And you read them
this?”
    “ We read it together yes. We
read together often.”
    This comment drew anger from behind
the mirror.
    “ Why is he lying about having kids?”
MacNamee asked Crass sternly
    “ I don’t know. To get the boy
talking perhaps?”
    “ What do you think of the book?” asked
Connor.
    Frieda searched his memory banks. Despite
the fact he lied about having children, he had read the book, in
fact he had read all the books in the room just so he could talk to
the kids about them.
    “ I liked it”
    “ I like it because it’s a simple
story” stated
Connor.
    “ You like simple
stories?”
    “ Things don’t need to be
complicated. Are you a good father?”
    “ Yes, I think so, I read to my kids
every night.”
    “ Do es your wife not read to them? Or do they
have a bad mother?”
    “ No, my kids have two good
parents, my wife and I take it in turns to read to them.”
    Aware that this line of questioning was
leading them off topic Frieda tried to change it.
    “ But let’s get back to the
book.”
    Connor had noticed that the doctor’s story
seemed to be changing. First they read together, then he read to
them, then he and his wife took turns. His answers seemed to change
to appease Connor.
    “ Y ou don’t wear a ring” Connor interjected
as he looked at Frieda’s hand.
    Frieda cleverly tried to dodge the
boy’s probe with another lie.
    “ Oh , I must have left it at home. Now let’s
talk about the book.”
    “ Do you enjoy lying to children
Doctor Frieda?” Connor asked sternly.
    “ Pardon me?”
    “ I asked you if you enjoy lying
to children.”
    “ I don’t know what you
mean.”
    Behind the mirror MacNamee
bit on his
fist while Crass watched intently. Both knew this was a crucial
breakthrough in Connor’s treatment that Frieda may be about to mess
up.
    “ Yes you do Paul. You’re not
married, and you don’t have children.”
    “ I don’t know why you would think
that Connor but I can assure you I am married. I must have taken my
ring off when I was washing the dishes last night. I left it at
home, I told you that.”
    Frieda tried to remain composed while he dug
his lie in deeper.
    “ I don’t think you did
Paul .”
    Connor was looking right through him
now.
    “ You see my Dad used to take me
fishing, which meant we would spend hours on boats or wading in
rivers. Before we left the house he would always take his wedding
ring off to make sure it was safe. When he did there was always a
tan mark due to the fact he almost always had it on, stopping the
sunlight from getting to it. You don’t have that mark, which means
you don’t have a wedding ring which means you are not
married.”
    Frieda shifted uncomfortably in his
seat, with no answer to give.
    “ And since you lied about being
married I’m going to assume you lied about having children also. So
I’m going to ask you again, do you enjoy lying to
children?”
    Half garbled words slipped out of
Frieda’s mouth. He was making no sense. Connor’s shrewd observation
had left him absolutely speechless.
    “ Well that’s it isn’t
it !” yelled
Crass from behind the mirror.
    “ Frieda has screwed it up, the boy won’t talk
now!”
    Crass slammed Connor’s files on
the desk and walked out ,