3801 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Apt. 136
Washington, DC 20008
Suzanne M. Pitts, M.D.
Dept. of Psychiatry
GW Univ. Medical School
2150 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20037
Dear Dr. Pitts:
Enclosed is a tape recording of a telephone call that I placed to my sister on Tuesday February 9, 1993 together with some notes regarding my impressions of my sister's and my comments.
PRECEDING EVENT: submitted to you on Monday February 8, 1993 my associations to the Dream of the Four Miltons: (“Dream”) including a list of three seemingly harassing incidents at Akin Gump that mentioned the Legal Assistant Administrator, Maggie Sinnott, and that referred to concerns re masculinity
1. Sister begins conversation with a statement: “Suz is at her rehearsal." Like so many of my sister’s telephone conversations, which seem to follow a “theme and variations” form, this call’s opening statement provides the key idea, relating to theatrics, that is replayed in varied form throughout the conversation, almost as a kind of rondo.
2. Discussion of Winnie the Pooh: Discussion of Pat King, who directed Michael Landon at the Haddonfield Plays and Players, reproduces much of the material about the same subject during previous telephone conversation on January 24, 1993 (discussed in letter dated February 1, 1993). Uses word “Piglet” four times.
3. Meredith’s letter from NYU:
(a.) “They offer kosher meals there”--possible allusion to Jewish references in the “Dream.”
(b.) Residence Halls--"A few of them were old hotels that were converted.” Seems to be reference to the Sylvania House, a converted Hotel, that I mentioned in the "Dream.”
4. Pat Ryle (the attorney Dion Ryle’s former wife): Seems to reproduce much of the same material from sister’s telephone comments on December 23, 1992. (This February 9 telephone call may contain another symbolic reference to the call on December 23, 1992; see reference to “flowers” at paragraph 7.) Possible connection between reference to Pat King at paragraph 1 and Pat Ryle. Note the “structural”
similarities: (1) the discussion of a person name “Pat,” and
(2) the fact that in each case sister reproduces material from previous telephone conversation, almost verbatim.
Note discussion of Pat Ryle’s injury: “She got hit by a truck--she got seriously injured--hip injury.” See discussion of drama instructor’s injury at paragraph 7.
5. Discussion of stair climber: sexual overtones seem to permeate the discussion. Also, compare (1) concerns re brother-in-law maintaining balance on stair climber and (2) discussion of drama instructor who lost balance while rocking on a chair on stage and fell about “four feet,” seriously injuring herself
6. Discussion of Haagen Dazs ice cream: Repeated use of word “chocolate” (used 10 times) seems related to my reference into Hershey in “Dream.” Also note that sister’s initial reference to ice cream followed directly on her reference to the Lithium prescription, suggesting sister's adoption of my use of "ice cream” as a symbol for an object used to cure a defect in the self.
7. Note the characterization “It’s awful” used at three different points in conversation: (1) in reference to the candy “Warheads,” (2) in reference to the 4th grader, Brook, who plays “Piglet” (“her acting is awful”), and (3) in reference to the drama instructor who suffered an “awful” injury.
The reference to the drama instructor’s injury seems significant in that it comes out of nowhere as if it were an eruption of supercharged unconscious material. Also, note the juxtaposition of the reference to the injury with the preceding discussion of niece’s difficulties with trigonometry as if the previous “quantitative” reference triggered the reference to the injury. (Symbolic reference to masculinity?) Note the previous sexually-charged discussion of the stair climber--a piece of athletic equipment-- and reference to concerns re falling off the equipment, and its relation to drama instructor who fell off stage while rocking on a chair. (Of possible significance is the fact that on December 23, 1992 I had said, “I got Craig a box of chocolates; I was going to get him flowers but I was afraid people might talk.” In this telephone conversation, sister states that Meredith and a friend got the drama instructor flowers. For another possible parallel to conversation on December 23, see paragraph 4).
Also the reference to the injury (1) of the drama instructor (2) seems to validate my inference in letter dated February 1, 1993 that my sister is using the word “cast” with a double meaning, as both a reference to the treatment of a bone fracture (1) and the assignment of a dramatic role (2).
8. Note the two seeming symbolic references to suicide (1) in discussing the drug Darvosat she states, "If you overdose, it’s not that hard to kill yourself;” (2) in discussing injury of drama instructor, she states that “you could kill yourself.”
9. Sister refers to two different drama instructors: (1) Pat King, who directed Michael Landon at the Haddonfield Plays and Players, and (2) the drama coach who suffered a serious injury (Possible relation between the casting duties of a drama instructor or director and the duties of a legal assistant administrator who determines the assignments of legal assistants?)
10. Several of my comments are worthy of note.
(a.) repeated use of quantitative references--of undetermined significance.
(b) Emphasis on fact that my cholesterol was measured at “230.” My high school graduating class was the “230.”
(c.) "Marbleized steaks"--possible architectural reference (marble) conjoined with reference to cholesterol-laden (“230") red meat (John Falk?). Substantiates association of John Falk, Frank Lloyd Wright and school.
Also, compare the phrase “marbleized steaks" with the following:
I feasted in Italia on noncaloric fare:
* * *
While consuming instead with delighted “ayes”
The enticingly-seasoned Romantic past of Latium--
Land of the Latin race--
Favored throughout the ages with the famed [marble]
Colonnaded fora.
(d.) “Two eggs for breakfast”--I took two courses with Dr. Eggert in college, and had mentioned Dr. Eggert in the “Dream.”
Thus, my assertion that “It’s not as if” I eat marbleized steaks and two eggs for breakfast may be a negation of the fact that I do metaphorically (“as if”) eat marbleized steaks and two eggs. The use of negation here in the context of an oral reference may be psychoanalytically significant.
Sincerely,
Gary Freedman
SYMMETRIES IN SISTER’S COMMENTS
1. Pat King
(a.) director/casting role
(b.) niece cheated out of larger role by the Committee (“something fishy”)
2. Pat Ryle
(a.) unbalanced divorced wife of attorney
(b.) suffered serious injury
(c.) always gets fabulous jobs
(d.) lithium prescription
(e.) couple of law degrees
(f.) gaps in employment
3. Brother-in-law
(a.) concern re maintaining balance on exercise equipment
4. Drama Instructor
(a.) director/casting role
(b.) suffered serious injury
(c.) loss of balance (while rocking on chair)
5. [Maggie Sinnott--Legal Assistant Administrator
(a.) “director/casting role**
(b.) unbalanced divorced wife of attorney
(c.) cheated brother out of a larger role?]
6. Self
(a.) lithium prescription (“It addresses a chemical imbalance.”)
(b.) appointment as U.S. Attorney General [fabulous job]
[Janet Reno was nominated by President Bill Clinton days before this telephone call on February 11, 1993 to the post of U.S. Attorney General.]
(c.) [couple of law degrees]
(d.) [gaps in employment]
(e.) [stole the Eastern Airlines show at Akin Gump with my bit part]
(f.) [cheated out of larger role at Akin Gump by Committee despite superior abilities]
7. Suzanne (niece)
(a.) cheated out of a larger role in play despite superior abilities (“something fishy”)
(b.) may end up stealing show with her bit part
8. Sister
(a.) never has a problem maintaining balance on exercise equipment
_________________________________
**Note that my sister’s possible use of theatrical imagery to describe symbolically Akin Gump may represent my sister’s [remainder of letter missing]
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