1713

"What is your diagnosis, if you don't mind my asking", say I to Nicole. "Bipolar, but it isn't severe, and I have been using meditation techinques for stabilizing my mood." "Plus a little herbal remedy", quips Carl. "I never touch the stuff." "What!" says Carl. "Seriously. I don't want to make it worse." Now to me she says, "Okay. I showed you mine. Now show me yours." "Schizotypal disorder with temporary psychosis." "Oh dear." "Which means", says Stella, "He believes that I am over one hundred years old and other interesting little delusions." "Except, Stella., you do happen to be one hundred and eight years old", says Carl. "Must you confuse the poor girl with facts." "The fact of the matter", says Carl, "Is that they aren't delusions. Chris let it slip on the phone today to his worker about his rather interesting friends, and now they believe he is a serious case, and that is why we are coming with him, as back up." "And you expect anybody to believe any of this", says Nicole. And now Stella has just pulled from her handbag a whole handful of her passports which she lays out on the table.