The Three Christs of Ypsilanti - Milton Rokeach [35]
When Joseph started to come to the meetings with books and magazines, we were almost immediately able to put this defense to a social use by suggesting that he read to the other men. He seized on this eagerly, and Leon and Clyde agreed with just as much pleasure. From that point on, reading aloud—most often by Joseph, but occasionally by Leon or Clyde—became a regular part of the daily meetings. Leon did not assume responsibility for this routine; he was quite content to let Joseph bring the reading matter for the meetings. In fact, he came to depend on Joseph for this, although immediately following the occasions when Joseph forgot to supply the reading matter Leon brought his own, which generally consisted of such material as the Reader’s Digest.
This is not to say, however, that Leon was always eager to avoid controversies with the others. He never baited Clyde, but he often baited Joseph, who was usually no match for him. Once Joseph expressed a desire to go to the patients’ store to buy some coffee.
“Sir,” Leon remarked, “that’s funny that you want coffee. I thought the English drank tea.”
“Say, you really listen, don’t you?” replied Joseph sarcastically. “The English had all the coffee at one time and they’ll have it again sometime.”
“They have instant tea as well as coffee at the store,” Leon persisted.
“Oh, yeah?” Joseph said lamely.
As the arguments became increasingly more fierce, Leon dropped his baiting tactics and assumed the role of peacemaker. From the time Clyde had attacked him over the Adam issue Leon made a special effort to placate him, and he tried to stop feuds from developing between Clyde and Joseph.
Nevertheless, Leon was not really in control. Far from it, as evidenced by the sharp increase in his compulsive ritualistic behavior. One of his rituals was “shaking off,” an act designed to get rid of the electronic interferences and impositions to which he believed he was continually subjected. He “shook off” by sitting rigidly in his chair, pressing his fingers firmly against his temples, and vigorously massaging his head while holding his breath until he was red in the face. When the quarrels were at their highest pitch, he had to shake off every twenty minutes. Since he had no watch he made a nuisance of himself by repeatedly asking the time. During these periods he would reply to the question: “How are you, Rex?” with: “All right, sir, except for the interferences.” Another ritual took place at meal-times, when he would drink “charged-up” salt water—made by pouring about half the salt from a full salt shaker into a glass of water. After shooting cosmic rays into the glass by making twenty grimaces he would drain the concoction down in a series of convulsive gulps. This, too, was designed to reduce the interferences and was apparently a behavior pattern which did not set in until after the study began.
Often Leon said nothing at the meetings, and once I asked him why he was so quiet.
“I’m deducting what is truthful and the rest I put into the squelch chamber, sir.”
—The squelch chamber?—
“The human has two squelch chambers. Some people have four. It depends. It’s their privilege if they want one in the subconscious region of their brain. It’s a little bit beyond the center point—about one and a half inches from the top of the skull—and it is an aid to the person. For example, if the squelch chamber is charged