The Three Christs of Ypsilanti - Milton Rokeach [85]
April 25. The ground card issue is brought up again. Leon says he had one in 1955, but that it was taken away from him. He says he doesn’t need a ground card, that Divine Providence will issue him another one.
April 26. Dr. Donahue, resident psychiatrist on Ward D-16, joins us today for the daily meeting. Our object is to explore further the men’s attitudes toward the idea of the group ground card.
“I want the old kind of card that you carry yourself,” Joseph persists. “I don’t need anybody to carry my card for me. Hell, I want to go out alone!”
Leon substantially agrees. “I want to be an individual. I think your psychology is warped. I’m not going to bite for this. I don’t want no part of it.”
Joseph points out to Dr. Donahue that Leon isn’t going to co-operate, so it won’t work. It is suggested to the men that since they cannot agree, the question of the ground card will have to be brought up again for further consideration in staff conference. Joseph becomes angry at this and says, in a manner which is unusually direct: “I don’t like this kind of punishment. I can’t go out when I want to go out. I don’t care for one!”
Again Leon is in agreement with Joseph. “He was right when he called it punishment. It’s depressing psychology. I don’t care for it. I’ll get a cosmic ground card.”
“I’m not crazy about this new system,” Joseph observes. “Soon it will be you can’t take a shit unless they agree with you. Hell, I want to take a shit and a leak on my own.”
April 28. Since I have not attended the meetings for the past few days, I suggest the men tell me what this ground-card business is all about. Leon explains to me how Joseph feels and says Joseph is right. Joseph agrees with Leon. They are standing firm—individual ground cards or nothing!
The two men shake hands but then Leon, to make sure we do not make too much of this show of camaraderie, says: “I don’t want any prejudice or jealousy to get into you persons, because truth is my friend.” I suggest that Joseph and Leon draft a joint statement stating their position, so that we can study it. Both decline.
I then ask Leon what kind of ground card he would accept. He sets impossible conditions: (1) It must be made out to Dr. R. I. Dung. (2) It must be signed by the same resident psychiatrist who signed his original card five years ago, a doctor who has now been gone for three years. (3) It must not be signed by the current resident psychiatrist, who, in Leon’s opinion, is no doctor at all.
—You’re really saying that you don’t want a ground card.—
Leon replies: “I’ve already stated that I will get one signed by Dr. Black. I deserve a ground card and I know it.”
Joseph reminds him that it is Dr. Donahue who is now the ward doctor.
“That’s your belief, sir,” Leon replies.
May 5. An aide, coming into the sitting room during meeting time, brings three individual ground cards made out to Clyde Benson, Joseph Cassel, and Dr. R. I. Dung. Clyde and Joseph accept theirs, but Leon, after inspecting his, refuses it. He states that he appreciates having his correct name on the ground card and he thanks the long-since-departed psychiatrist Dr. Black for signing it. (Actually, we had signed it for Dr. Black.) Nevertheless, he said, he must decline the card because it also contains Dr. Dukay’s signature. (Dr. Dukay is clinical director at Ypsilanti and his signature was obtained in place of Dr. Donahue’s, in deference to Leon’s objections. But Leon does not recognize Dr. Dukay as a doctor either, an attitude he maintains toward all the doctors at Ypsilanti.)
May 6. Joseph gulps down his lunch hurriedly and with a big smile shows his new ground card to the nurse, asking to be let out. The nurse lets Joseph out. Leon and Clyde continue with their lunch. Leon says to Clyde: “Excuse me, sir, for that big burp. There is more tea, sir. Would you care for more?”
Clyde finishes his lunch and goes out, using his ground card. Leon spends the afternoon alone in his sitting room.
Meeting time, before supper. Leon is unusually friendly, greeting ward and research personnel with lilting