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Dr. Balis:
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Good morning, Mr. Marcas.
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Mr. Marcas:
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Good morning, Doctor Balis.
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Dr. Balis:
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I'm sorry you had to miss a session.
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Mr. Marcas:
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Me too. But certain projects had to progress despite the lack of doctor's orders. I got called to patch up a little bit of a file access crisis--Vice President Spunt wanted me to come back in.
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Dr. Balis:
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Really?
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Mr. Marcas:
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It was just a little hiccup in the code. One of the security programs had a little bug in it, and file access and closure grounded down to a halt. Ms. Wolfe was still out on leave, so they called me.
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Dr. Balis:
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I didn't really know that you worked on code. I thought you were just responsible for physical security.
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Mr. Marcas:
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File security and uncompromised fire walls are an important part of it. We deal in industrial espionage, rogue employees, the works. Patrolling the building is just a small part of it in a modern corporation.
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Dr. Balis:
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I didn't mean to underestimate what you do.
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Mr. Marcas:
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We get that all the time. People get their image of security from the retiree who was hired to play night watchman at their high school.
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Dr. Balis:
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So you went back to work without the report that was requested of me?
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Mr. Marcas:
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It was just for a few days, Doctor. But I still require your professional assessment of my sanity and safety before I'm allowed back to my regular status.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm. Well, I hope that everything is all right now.
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Mr. Marcas:
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It is. But you can well imagine the amount of razzing I got about being a "Killer" and "Brawler." Some of the guys there really dished it out. But we all get along well, and we got almost everything chased down and patched up.
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Dr. Balis:
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So you feel you work well with the other people in your department?
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Mr. Marcas:
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Yeah, I think I do. It seems that all the guys get along with me pretty well. From the program watchdogs all the way to the front desk workers, everyone seems to have accepted me pretty quickly.
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Dr. Balis:
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All but Ms. Wolfe.
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Mr. Marcas:
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Yes. All but her.
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Dr. Balis:
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So what did you do these last two weekends? Did you make any progress on establishing some social contacts outside of the office?
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Mr. Marcas:
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Sorry, Doctor. I didn't know it was on my list of expectations. You need to actually assign the homework next time. But actually, Doctor, I did get out a little bit this last weekend thanks mostly to the people from the office.
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Dr. Balis:
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Oh? Can you tell me about it?
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Mr. Marcas:
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Well, Mr. Spunt walked down with us to one of the Alpha work stations and watched as some of the programmers and I got to work on patching up the access processor. He even took an active part in helping us out. It was about five in the afternoon when we actually got done, and he asked me and about six others to head out to a local pub that he likes. We all bought a couple of rounds, and I shot a couple games of pool with some of the guys. It was a good time. Old Man Spunt can sure knock some back.
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Dr. Balis:
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Really?
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Mr. Marcas:
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Yeah. Together, he and I probably put away about three pitchers of beer.
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Dr. Balis:
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I assume you were in a stable enough state to drive home.
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Mr. Marcas:
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Oh, yeah. One of the guys had to give a fellow programmer a ride home. I understand he picked up his car the following morning. I never usually drink like that when I'm on my bike.
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Dr. Balis:
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You ride a bicycle to work?
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Mr. Marcas:
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I have a 1993 Harley Davidson Springer Soft Tail. She is beautiful, Doctor. Do you like motorcycles?
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Dr. Balis:
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I have a passive interest, but I don't ride.
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Mr. Marcas:
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Why not?
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Dr. Balis:
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Mr. Marcas, we are here to talk about you. Please continue.
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Mr. Marcas:
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Oh. Well, I think I'm done. Well, no. I forgot to tell you that Mr. Spunt kind of pulled me aside at the pub that evening.
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Dr. Balis:
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Really? What for?
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Mr. Marcas:
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He wanted to have a private conversation about the incident. I had told him about my reservations about going to see a therapist, and he showed me some real understanding. However he told me that there was nothing he could do in a situation like this. There are procedures that are mandated by the powers that are higher up and those procedures had been in place a long time.
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Dr. Balis:
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I see.
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Mr. Marcas:
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Later that night, he apologized to me and said that after the way I handled the server situation, he wanted to put me right back into action. But the "damned legalities," as he put it, well...
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Dr. Balis:
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You must have impressed him.
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Mr. Marcas:
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I just did what I was asked. A lot of the credit should be given to the programmers that were helping me out.
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Dr. Balis:
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It almost sounds like you're being modest. Are you?
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Mr. Marcas:
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No, Doctor. I'm just giving credit where credit is due. It's a team effort up there.
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Dr. Balis:
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I didn't think Vice President Spunt is one to hand out compliments easily.
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Mr. Marcas:
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I wouldn't say that at all. He's been one of the most supportive people that I've worked with. I've heard some of the guys call him a dinosaur and a bastard, but he's been nothing but accommodating to me. Hell, he's almost too nice.
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Dr. Balis:
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Why do you say that?
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Mr. Marcas:
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Oh, nothing really. He kept harassing a waitress at the pub to come over and talk to me.
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Dr. Balis:
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Was she annoyed by that?
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Mr. Marcas:
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I wouldn't say "annoyed." It was all in good taste, but you could tell that she was quite embarrassed.
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Dr. Balis:
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Really?
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Mr. Marcas:
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He was making a scene in front of some of her co-workers, and later on, it seemed like they were giving her the same treatment.
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Dr. Balis:
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How did you react to it?
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Mr. Marcas:
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I tried to just play it off. I asked Mr. Spunt to leave the girl alone and let her do her work.
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Dr. Balis:
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And?
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Mr. Marcas:
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He persisted, but only a little bit. Her co-workers seemed to give her the royal treatment though. From what little I heard--and I don't think any of it is credible--a couple of waitresses came over to the table and asked some of the programmers about me when I was shooting pool.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Mr. Marcas:
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Yeah.
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Dr. Balis:
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And?
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Mr. Marcas:
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What?
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Dr. Balis:
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Did you ever talk to this girl?
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Mr. Marcas:
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Actually...well, yes, I did.
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Dr. Balis:
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What did you say?
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Mr. Marcas:
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Well, as I was corralling all of the drunken fools into a cattle line going out of the door, she came up behind me and said good night. I turned around and apologized for Mr. Spunt giving her such a hard time. She said that it wasn't a big deal and introduced herself. I introduced myself back. And then out in the parking lot, I turned to hear all of the crew yell in chorus: "Good night, Mr. Marcas!" It was quite humorous. But some of the other slurred comments I won't repeat here.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Mr. Marcas:
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Well, she and I watched as they all drove off, and she walked with me over to my motorcycle. She and I talked some, and she eventually gave me her phone number.
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Dr. Balis:
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Did you ask her for it?
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Mr. Marcas:
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No, I didn't. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if Mr. Spunt tipped her an extra twenty dollars to offer it.
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Dr. Balis:
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Perhaps not.
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Mr. Marcas:
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Doctor, please. Anyway, we made small talk for about another five more minutes or so. It was mainly about where I work and my motorcycle. And then I went home.
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Dr. Balis:
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Did you call her?
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Mr. Marcas:
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No.
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Dr. Balis:
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Why not?
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Mr. Marcas:
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I'm not really sure. The next day, when I woke up, I remembered that I needed to work my bike and...
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Mr. Marcas:
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Incidentally, that was what I was working on when I got called in back to work. And once I got into my bike, I just forgot about the girl.
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Dr. Balis:
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You forgot? Did you like her?
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Mr. Marcas:
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Yeah, I did.
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Dr. Balis:
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Did you find her attractive?
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Mr. Marcas:
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Oh, hell yeah! She's extremely beautiful--the typical blonde-haired Californian dream. But I think that I'm at least a good five years older than her, though.
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Dr. Balis:
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Does that bother you?
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Mr. Marcas:
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Come on, Doc. You're starting to sound like my sister, or Mr. Spunt.
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Dr. Balis:
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Do you tend to follow up in these kinds of situations--where a beautiful woman offers you her phone number?
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Mr. Marcas:
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Well, Doc, I'm not a homosexual. Don't worry. I just got wrapped up in some stuff and forgot. I was working on my motorcycle for a good part of the morning, until after lunch, even.
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Dr. Balis:
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And did you then work on projects for SII?
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Mr. Marcas:
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Yes.
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Dr. Balis:
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Do you think you are pouring too much of your effort into your work?
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Mr. Marcas:
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"Pouring too much effort?" Doc, I haven't been there in three weeks and neither has Ms. Wolfe. The department has been without a director of operations and development for over three weeks. That's not what would I call putting too much effort into it. I just don't like to leave a gap like that open. If the file access goes down, who is there to fix it?
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Dr. Balis:
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I see your point. How much longer will it be before Ms. Wolfe is back to work?
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Mr. Marcas:
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I think I heard someone say she'll be coming back this week. She's been in and out of the office. And I think they called her when the access server went down, but she was still at the hospital.
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Dr. Balis:
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How do you think it will be when you and she are both back in the office, working together again?
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Mr. Marcas:
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I hope it'll be just as you said: we'll be working together. I would like to get on with this and put all of the hostility and animosity behind us. I don't know if that'll be the case, though. I never got a response from the card I sent her at the hospital. I'm hoping that things will go all right when we both get back to work.
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Dr. Balis:
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I hope so too. It sounds like you've recovered from the situation very well.
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Mr. Marcas:
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I wasn't really the one that needed to recover from the situation. That would be Ms. Wolfe.
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Dr. Balis:
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I meant mentally.
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Mr. Marcas:
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I know what you meant, Doctor.
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Dr. Balis:
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Last time, you seemed to show strong feelings towards the fact that you had assaulted a woman. I sense that there might still be some unresolved feelings left.
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Mr. Marcas:
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Of course there are. That was just the way I was raised. Granted, just as you said, Ms. Wolfe is not a dainty or fragile woman. But it still wasn't right for me to strike her, no matter what she did to me. I think it is agreed that she provoked it, but I never should have reacted the way I did anyway. It's just one of those things that sticks with you. I know that everyone has a temper, but it still makes me feel rather bad that I let mine get out of control that way.
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Dr. Balis:
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What if Ms. Wolfe escalated the degree of violence?
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Mr. Marcas:
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Even when defending oneself, there are ways to do it where no one gets hurt.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm. It appears that we're out of time for today. Is there anything else you wanted to discuss?
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Mr. Marcas:
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I don't think so. It has been a pleasure, Doctor Balis. Is there any need for us to schedule another session?
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Dr. Balis:
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I think so. I think we need a session to wrap things up.
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Mr. Marcas:
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Very well. Can we do it as soon as possible?
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Dr. Balis:
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How about next Tuesday at two in the afternoon?
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Mr. Marcas:
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All right. I must say that I'm really going to miss...
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Dr. Balis:
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Yes?
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Mr. Marcas:
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This chair.
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Dr. Balis:
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Good day, Mr. Marcas.
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Mr. Marcas:
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See you, Doctor.
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###
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Doctor Balis' Notes on this Session
Transcripts of Logan Marcas' Communications
