The Client

Memories

It was a rainy day and my mom had taken me to my grandmother's house to go through some things. Mom didn't want to do it because she thought it would hurt too much going through the past. But, it had been awhile since my gran passed away and well time moves on. But, I always love these types of things because you learn so much about a person from the things they keep, those mementos kept in tiny hidden away places that only they know about. My mother said I was a lot like my grandmother always seeing things in people that no one else does. I wasn't really all that close to her as she was a very reserved and quiet person always busy always traveling. My mother would say that she was the most empathetic person that she ever met. She knew exactly what a person was feeling when they walked through the door. I knew few things about her but, I did know that she was brilliant. Her office was covered with accreditations and awards from psychological societies from around the world.

Back when she started one would have called her a quack, or a shrink, maybe even once in awhile by her actual title psychologist. You see in the early 21st century those that practiced psychology were rarely given any credence. Most were seen as doing more harm than good to their clients. I do know that she worked very hard to change that. Eventually, psychology moved away from giving a drug to fix everything to getting to the root of the problem and confronting it. That alone usually helped to resolve most problems or at least started people on to the path of healing. Sure, medications were still needed for some psychological conditions, but by and large with her help we moved away from the drugged generation. She used to always joke that she "dragged the psychiatrists along kicking and screaming".

My mom was downstairs in gran's room going through her clothes and other personal effects. While, my mom struggled with her past memories I was upstairs in the attic. The attic, is always my favorite part of the house where all of the neat things are usually stored. There were boxes upon boxes of awards and accreditations proving my gran was actually being modest with the display in her office. Most of the boxes were uninteresting either more awards or old case files that she would use in her research most of these will be donated to the university where she lectured my mom had told me. She was excellent in research and writing case files. If you looked at a file the personal information of the client was redacted for their confidentiality but her precise and detailed notes drew a clear picture of the person she was helping. Some with depression, some with grief, and others with physiological brain disorders.

I was about to give up for the day when I saw a file box hidden behind a lot of other things covering it. Almost, as if it wasn't meant to be discovered. Hmmm, this could be interesting I thought as I started removing all of the things on top of it. Finally, I pulled the box out of it's cubby hole and on the outside it said "Private, keep out". That made my spine tingle what could be in this box that would make my gran write that on there I thought to myself. I opened up the box and inside were several files inside simply labeled "The Doctor". Well, that really peaked my interest because my gran was a doctor herself. She held a Phd in clinical psychology, physiological psychology, and licensed mental health counseling. I couldn't help but wonder if these were her own personal psych records. No one ever said she had a problem but maybe she kept it well hidden. I opened the first file and a bunch of pictures came out 12 different pictures of men but all labeled "The Doctor". Well, that's odd 12 men all with the same name. I flip through some of the files but they seem to make little sense, with regenerations, 1207 years old, Time Lord, Gallifrey, etc. There is a small journal hidden in between all of the charts it is well worn and has a confidential sticker on the front of it. This is so unlike my gran I think she was always so meticulous to keep client confidentiality. So, this has to be something different something she thinks no one should ever see. I open the battered journal with excitement and began with the first entry.