From sclark@best.com Mon Mar 16 08:55:15 1998 Date: Sat, 14 Mar 1998 15:12:33 -0700 From: clark To: fkfanfic@merlin.darkmage.net Subject: Last Call for Doctor Dora Welcome to the final installment in what has unintentionally become the Doctor Dora trilogy. This piece, as well as the first two, "Calling Doctor Dora" and "First Call for Doctor Dora," should each stand on their own. As always, any feedback is welcome. Permission given to archive at fkfanfic website and the FTP site. No other permission is granted to repost/reprint/reuse. If you're interested, drop me a line. Finally, this is based on characters and situations that aren't mine. Thanks to TPTB for the use. They've been hermetically sealed and placed carefully back in the original wrapper. Last Call for Doctor Dora by S. Clark "Luke, you're having some family problems?" "Yes. It's my children." "How many children?" "Two. A son and a daughter." "And how old are they?" "The boy is 8. The girl 10. But in their own way they're both very mature for their age." "The precocious ones always try our patience." "Quite." "So then, what problems are you having with the children?" "Disobedience. Willfulness. This is especially true for the boy." "Perhaps he's too much like his father." "Perhaps. He'd never admit to that." "No, they never do. But you're not having the same problems with your daughter?" "Not often, no. She's beautiful. Intelligent. Proud. Spiteful." "She sounds spoiled." "Yes. She's magnificent." "And you don't see this as a problem." "Doctor, I've raised my children to expect the best. To be the best. To dominate." "That sounds fairly severe, Luke. How does your wife feel about this?" "I'm raising my children alone, Doctor. Mine is a custom made family." "So, your children are adopted?" "Yes. They were chosen." "Then the problem is?" "My son. He rejects me. Spurns my gifts. All the advantages I offer." "And you don't think he'll grow out of this?" "At first I thought it was just a phase. But it has continued for too long. Past the point where it's merely an act of provocation." "You make it sound as if his disobedience is a personal attack. What kinds of behaviors is he engaging in?" "He has inappropriate companions. He selects acquaintances he knows I will not accept." "That's fairly normal." "He chooses activities that squander his talents." "Again, that's normal. He's a young boy. They specialize in testing limits. Tell me, with all of his acting out do you find him a disappointment?" "Disappointment?" The caller sounded amused. "Oh, never a disappointment. Exasperating. Irritating. He's even incited extreme anger. But disappointment? For such a splendid creature. Never." "Clearly you have a great deal of affection for your son. Does he have a reason to be afraid of you?" "What sort of reason would that be, Doctor?" "To put it bluntly have you ever used physical means to discipline your son?" "You believe to do so would be inappropriate?" "That's not an answer." "No, it's not." "Can I take this evasion as an affirmative, then?" "He has violent tendencies. At times I've had to restrain him. Only to keep him from doing harm to himself." "But you haven't used corporal punishment?" "No more than appropriate." "And you don't believe this sets a bad example? An example of how the physically powerful control the situation." "Is it an unrealistic example, Doctor? Doesn't history show us the most powerful wins in a conflict?" "I think the important lesson to teach your child is why you're setting limits. Why you have certain expectations." "Doctor, do you have any children?" "Yes, one daughter. She's just becoming a teenager." "Surely you want the best for her." "Of course. But I also believe it's important she learns responsibility for herself and her actions." "Still, you'd feel you hadn't done your best if she didn't live up to her potential." "I can't put all of my expectations onto my child." "Come now. Between us. Two parents. You'd feel at least a twinge of disappointment for what might have been." "Possibly there would be some amount of disappointment. Especially if the potential went undeveloped out of malice or spite." "So you do your best to ensure she has the best. Becomes the best." "Yes." "Isn't it enticing, Doctor? Having that much control over another's life?" "That's not what I want." "It's not? Your whole game seems to be control." "This isn't about me." "Of course. Easier to delve into the lives of distant strangers. Detached voices. Patients with whom you'll never have to make eye contact. All much more pleasant than having to face uncomfortable situations of your own manufacture." "I'm afraid we've gotten a bit far afield here. I believe the call was about your children, Luke." "Yes, it was. And what will you do if I don't return to that subject? Punish me? Cut me off? Yet more control. For someone who says they eschew the power of their position you're quick enough to invoke it when the subject turns discomforting." "My listeners want to hear experiences they can draw insight from. They can directly benefit from. They don't want to hear about me." "They don't? You're more than willing to drop tidbits about yourself, your family, that paint the picture of you as the model parent." "Excuse me?" "I've been listening, Doctor. I hear you speak of taking your daughter to dance lessons. Did she really want to begin those lessons or are we making up for our own forgone desires. Our own inabilities during an awkward youth? And what of visiting your father at the nursing home. Quite quick to farm him out, weren't you? I imagine this job affords you adequate compensation to provide care for him within your own home. Come now, Doctor. What else aren't you sharing?" "We're almost out of time. I must say, this has been an interesting show today." "You have three minutes left, Doctor." "Excuse me?" "Three minutes. Am I that frightening to you? Are reminders of your own shortcomings that threatening?" "We have to wrap up the show, Luke. Perhaps you can call again." "Perhaps. I have enjoyed our visit." Paul, the engineer began frantically signaling for Doctor Dora to stretch out the closing. She returned the signal with one of her own directing him to cut off the caller. "Yes. Until the next show. Remember, Doctor Dora will be here for you." Doctor Dora smashed the button that terminated her audio, yanked off her headphones and stormed from the studio. Paul shoved in a cart advertising the Doctor's latest book, "Power Parenting for the 90's," and shrugged to the engineer. Two more minutes to kill before the network feed ended. Within his darkened home the caller set the phone down and smiled. He enjoyed the show far more than he ever expected. Previously he thought the idea just another mortal folly. Now. Now perhaps he would have to consider a change to his own show's format. If not at CERK then somewhere else. After all, he would have to move along someday. No one stays forever.