“I’m a comedian” said Juliet. “And I make a lot of money, and I make a lot of people laugh.”
“Then why are you here?” Asked Dr Amen
Juliet looked out the window for the sixteenth time that minute
“Because I can’t make myself laugh”
This was a rather common answer in Amen’s office. When he was asked he described his job as one long irony. He treated comedians suffering from depression. He began working on that particular stream when he realized the sheer number of cases. His work, most of the time, was quite simple. What most of them needed was a rest and a detox and a good shaking of the shoulders.
His latest Juliet however was more difficult. She didn’t cry or breakdown, or show any emotion at all. She spoke all her words in a dry monotone. Her hair was pulled back firmly from her face in a ballerina bun. Her eyes were a dull grey and surrounded by too much blue eyeliner. She didn’t, like most comedians, have any great grief in her life. She was middle to upper class, with good relationships with both her parents. She had never been in a serious relationship, but at 23 that seemed normal. Yet here she was, 20 kilo’s underweight with dark marks scorching her pasty skin.
“I want you to come back tomorrow” Said Amen “And to ease you off your medication. I don’t think it’s good for you”
“Whatever you say” she said, easing her way off the chair, not daring or bothering to look him in the eye.
