The Three Christs of Ypsilanti - Milton Rokeach [138]
Sincerely,
O. R. Yoder, M.D.
May 11
My dead dad,
… I am glad that potent-valuemiocene is helping me … in the triangle of Christs.
I am not unaware of the fact that potent-valuemiocene—well, the medicine makes me realize that the trouble with Dung and Benson was that they thought they were Christs; but, with potent-valuemiocene the values come out of Dung and Benson, thus they cannot be Christ. In time they both should forget that they are even imposing upon me. This is the trouble with Dung and Benson: that they thought they were god, but potent-valuemiocene takes these thoughts away from them. Thus I am very gratified and thankful about your having prescribed to me potent-valuemiocene!
As for this being a mental hospital, I am well aware of it, and I am gratified for it being supported by tax payers. But the hospital is an English stronghold, but it is in America. This hospital is an old English hospital, but some think it is an American hospital.
Yours very truly,
Joseph Cassel
P.S. . . . But please know that I am not bothered by Dung and Benson —that is, potent-valuemiocene helps me from being bothered … I realize that Dung is Leon Gabor. Thank you for all!
May 16
Dear Joseph:
This is to reply to your letter of May 11. Loving you like a father loves his son, I must say that I was disappoined to learn that you still believe that “this hospital is an English stronghold.”
One of the major purposes of potent-valuemiocene is to give you back your self-confidence, your values, and in doing so to give you strength to abandon your erroneous belief that “this hospital is an English stronghold.” The fact that you still believe this is discouraging to me, because it means that you have not been improving as fast as I had hoped.
Enclosed is the usual token.
Cordially,
O. R. Yoder, M.D.
Joseph laughs as he finishes reading the letter. “I’m not improving, anyway. I’m worse today than when I first came in here. There’s no improvement. There was nothing wrong then; now I have no teeth and I can’t get out of the hospital. I’ll write him that it’s a hospital in the United States.”
He goes on with a disjointed discourse that he is sticking with England, that this hospital is an English stronghold, and so on. Leon laughs, and then explains: “I was laughing at the engrams presented, not at the individual. I feel sorry for the individual.” Clyde agrees with Leon, saying that there are some English here but that Ypsilanti State Hospital is not an English hospital.
Later in the day, Joseph writes:
My dear dad,
About this hospital being an English stronghold, I must write that this hospital is in the United States and it is difficult to believe for anyone that this is an English stronghold. All I can say, now, is that the hospital is what it is, but it is in United States …
Yours truly,
Joseph Cassel
Still later, he receives the following reply:
Dear Joseph;
If I understand you correctly, I have to form the conclusion that potent-valuemiocene is not doing you a bit of good since you still feel the way you do about this hospital. I am, therefore, seriously considering withdrawing this medication as it isn’t doing you as much good as I had hoped it would do you.
Enclosed is the usual token.
Sincerely,
O. R. Yoder, M.D.
This letter gives rise to frantic efforts on Joseph’s part to stave off the threatened withdrawal of the potent-valuemiocene. He replies with three long letters on May 17 and 18, all designed to prevent this from happening, but he sticks to his guns and insists that the hospital is an English stronghold. The third letter is more conciliatory than the first two.
My dear dad,
Yesterday I wrote you two letters in one envelope; and in afterthought, I realized that many entities written in the two letters were turned around. As I understand it, this is an American Hospital, supported by the taxpayers of the state of Michigan. I hope that this makes it clear; and I am sure there is nothing wrong between us.