Read K-Pax for Free Online Page A

y   any .   Ther e   ar e   ver y   fe w   childre n   anywher e   o n   K-PAX ,   a s   I   hav e   indicated .   Beside s   that, ther e i s n o distinctio n betwee n 'work ' an d 'play '   o n   ou r   PLANET .   O n   EARTH ,   childre n   ar e   encouraged t o   pla y   al l   th e   time .   Thi s   i s   becaus e   yo u   believ e   the y   shoul d   remai n   innocen t   o f   thei r   approaching adulthood ,   fo r   a s   lon g   a s   possible ,   apparentl y   becaus e   th e   latte r   i s   s o   distasteful .   O n   K-PAX ,   children an d adult s ar e al l par t o f th e sam e thing . O n ou r PLANE T lif e i s fun , an d interesting . Ther e   i s   n o   nee d   for mindles s games , eithe r fo r childre n   o r   adults .   N o   nee d   fo r   escap e   int o   soa p   operas ,   football ,   alcohol ,   or othe r drugs . Di dI hav ea happ y childhoo d o n K-PAX ? O f course . An da happ y adulthoo d a s well."
    I didn' t kno w whethe r   t o   fee l   gladdene d   o r   saddene d   b y   thi s   cheerfu l   answer .   O n   th e   on e   hand ,   the ma n seeme d   genuinel y   conten t   wit h   hi s   imaginar y   lot .   O n   th e   other ,   i t   wa s   obviou s   h e   wa s   denyin g   not onl y hi s family , bu t hi s schoo l experiences , hi s childhoo d itself . Eve n hi s country . Everything . Ever y aspect o f hi s entir e life , whic h mus t hav e bee n quit e abominable ,   indeed .   I   fel t   a   grea t   dea l   o f   pit y   fo r   thi s   young man.
    I ende d th e intervie w wit ha   questio n   abou t   hi s   "hom e   town, "   bu t   thi s   als o   le d   nowhere .   K-PAXians seeme d t o drif t fro m plac e t o plac e lik e nomads.
    I dismisse d   th e   patien t   an d   h e   returne d   t o   hi s   ward .   I   ha d   bee n   s o   astonishe d   b y   hi s   utte r   denia l   of everythin g huma n tha tI forgo t t o cal l th e orderlie s t o g o wit h him.
    Afte r h e ha d gon eI returne d t o m y adjacen t offic e an d   wen t   throug h   hi s   entir e   fil e again .   I   ha d   never experience da cas e lik e this , on e fo r   whic h   I   couldn' t   see m   t o   fin d   an y   kin d   o f   handle .   Onl y   on e   othe r   in thirt y   year s   wa s   eve n   close ,   an d   i t   als o   involve d   a n   amnesiac .   A   studen t   o f   min e wa s   eventuall y   abl e   to trac e   th e   man' s   root s   throug h   a n   analysi s   o f   hi s   reawakene d   interes t   i n   sports-bu t   i t   too k   a   coupl e   of years.
    I jotte d dow n wha tI ha d o n pro t s o far:
     
     
    1 .    P hate s hi s parents-ha d h e bee n abused?
    2 .    P   hate s   hi s   job ,   th e   government ,   perhap s   societ y   a s   a   whole-ha d   ther e   bee n   a   lega l   problem resultin g i n a perceive d injustice?
    3 .    Di d somethin g happe n 4- 5 yr s ag o tha t underla y al l thes e apparen t hatreds?
    4 .    O n to p o f everythin g else , th e patien t ha sa sever e se x hang-up.
     
    A sI looke d ove r thes e note sI remembere d somethin g tha t m y colleagu e   Klau s   Viller s   ha s   professed o n mor e   tha n   on e   occasion :   Extraordinar y   case s   requir e   extraordinar y   measures .   I   wa s   thinkin g   o f   the rar e   instance s   i n whic h   a   delusiona l   o f   exceptiona l   intelligenc e   ha s   bee n   convince d   tha t   hi s   identit y   was false . Th e mos t famou s   exampl e   o f   thi s   treatmen t   i s   th e   on e   i n whic h   a   well-know n   comedia n   graciously consente d t o confron ta delusiona l look-alike , an da miraculou s cur e wa s quickl y effecte d (bu t no t   before the y bot h pu t o n quit ea show , evidently) . I fI