Today was the first day Anna would meet her 'psychologist' who would be the one to verify that she was not a dangerous person to society.
Anna didn't have many expectations from that person to sympathize with her, the opposite, actually. She expected that he would be one of the people who would ostracize as a monster too.
That would be a problem since her section was daily based and if he didn't like her, he could easily make her life much more difficult than, it was already.
All she knows about the person is that he was the former chief of the Agency who retired from his position to help his coworkers with problems who had in their partnership.
So, yes, he ended up being a social psychologist who helps companies to work better with each other.
But he retired quite young, Anna found out that the man was around 40-45.
When did he become the chief of the Agency?
That means he must be a very talented person to gain such a high position at a young age.
- "Nicolas Robinson. That's the psychologist's name. Former chief of the Agency with three specialties, just like me. Criminal, social, and child psychology. In the last couple of years, he also left the Agency and opened his own business for a social and child psychology center. But the government trusts him so much that they chose him for my case. Interesting." (ANNA)
Finally, it was Anna's turn, she entered the room and saw the government's loyal spy dog!
The man was 1.77cm tall, beige skin color, and generic body type. His brows were round and thick, his hair conservative cut black. His eyes were narrow almond deep smiling in deep blue color, his face was chiseled square shaved, with a generic nose, and medium straight natural lips.
- Miss Wilson, nice to meet you. I'm Nicolas Robinson. (NICOLAS)
- Nice to meet you too, Mr. Robinson. (ANNA)
The first impression was good, since he is a psychologist he surely knew how to talk to people, but not necessarily all of them knew how to associate with people even though they studied it.
That's why Anna decided to test him.
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The profession is a lot misunderstood about its role, most people see it negatively as only 'crazy' people go to them (That's a psychiatrist, not a psychologist.), or that they are psychics that know everything about a person the moment they will see them.
This is also one of the reasons most of them are avoiding to tell people about their profession. They immediately ask them to tell them about themselves.
Psychologists don't read minds or see the past or the future, so how the hell are they going to tell you about 'You' and what kind of person you are just by one glare?
No wonder Albert Einstein said: Two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe!
I can't even imagine his pain when he had to deal with stupidity.
The job of a social psychologist is not to tell you what's the problem in your life and how to fix it.
No one can tell you what to do or interfere with your life, not even a psychologist. Unless you cause danger in someone elses life or themselves, then the psychologist has to interfere.
The main duty of his job is to make you understand what's bothering you by yourself and gait you how to make your life better by finding the issue that was bothering you and finding a solution.
Our mental health is also important as our physical health, there is nothing embarrassing or shameful to go to a therapist. Just like we go to the doctor when we have a physical problem we can also go to the psychologist for our mental health.
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At first, Anna wasn't talking at all and Nicolas was asking general questions about her, and she was answering them. He wanted to get the basics to know her, that was the proof that he was good at his job.
Until he attempted to ask her how things are in her work and with her 'colleagues', that was the right moment she would strike.
- To be honest, Nick. Most of them don't have the character for the job. (ANNA)
- What do you mean they don't have the 'Character'? (NICOLAS)
- " He didn't look offended when I called him 'Nic', instead he looked more interested in what I just mentioned about the 'character' part." (ANNA)
- Well, knowledge and passion are not enough to do the job, you also have to have the 'character' for the job too. I mean, would you trust a shy lawyer who couldn't use the right words to defend you? (ANNA)
- Probably not! (NICOLAS)
- Some professions are very competitive, so if you don't have the character, is better to change a profession. (ANNA)
- Is this what you think about this job? (NICOLAS)
- It doesn't matter what job you are doing, as long as you are the best! (ANNA)
- Interesting! (NICOLAS)
- Do you disagree? I would like to hear your opinion about that. (ANNA)
- Usually, I'm the listener since it's my job. But you are a different case, you like to have a conversation with others not just talk like most people. I'm really interested in your present state, Miss Anna. (NICOLAS)
- Present state? What do you mean by that? (ANNA)
- "So, she noticed it!" (NICOLAS - SMILE)
- Miss Anna, I'm not sure about your awareness of a report when you were 6 years old from a child psychologist. (NICOLAS)
- Child... psychologist? (ANNA)
- In the old factory, they had a lot of stuff about what was happening in there, including some documents of information about you. (NICOLAS)
- What documents? What information? (ANNA)
- The government didn't want you to be aware of it. But I disagree, I believe you have the right to know about it. (NICOLAS)
Nicolas gave her an envelope, she opened it and started reading the papers.
- " Above-average IQ, high EQ, complex personality, selective knowledge, sense of justice, etc." (ANNA)
*just like 'selective hearing', but with regards to having knowledge. Admitting or not, to having that knowledge, as one seems fit.*
Anna kept reading about her progress physically and mentally. She had no idea that there was a child psychologist there, was the man who tested her 'usefulness?'
While she was ready there was something that got her attention, but she didn't react or commented about it, instead, she kept reading until she read all of them, and then she gave it back to Nicolas.
- You don't want to keep it? (NICOLAS)
- There is no reason for that, I know what I have to know, right? (ANNA)
- Anna, I know that you don't trust the government, but not everyone is your enemy. There are some people who truly want to help you. That's why this person hide this document to help you, he knew that one day you will escape from there. (NICOLAS)
- I'm a cautious person, there is nothing wrong with that. Better safe than sorry. And yes, I know I have trust issues, abandoning issues, I'm too suspicious, and a lot more issues. But thanks to these issues I've survived. (ANNA)
- Yes, you did. You survived something that most people wouldn't. But that doesn't mean you can't have a normal life, Anna. (NICOLAS)
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Anna realized that Nicolas was really interested in her as a person and wanted to help her, so she decided to give him a chance and continue their meeting.
It took him almost two years to make Anna trust him, but it was worth it because they developed mutual respect and trust. She was enjoying their conversations and slowly without realizing it she started changing for the better.
Big changes happened slowly and with stable steps.
Anyone can change as long as they want.
Because where they is a will there is a way.
However, Nicolas also noticed that a toxic environment would not help Anna with her progress, that's why he suggested that she should start to work at the hospital.
He chose a teaching hospital for her to be more sociable, a competitive environment, and most importantly a place where no one knew about her history.
Indeed, she managed to become a famous doctor in a year, but she ended up intimidating everyone on purpose. But things were better than before.
Right now she was working in the hospital for two years but she still refused to accept a girl as her student.
Apparently, that's a big step for Anna.