Criminal A Small Tragedy about a Countertransferential Transference
by Javier Daulte
Translated by Rodrigo Cameron June 2002
The action takes place in three spaces: two psychoanalyst’s offices and the home of Carlos and Diana. These spaces can be separate or superimposed.
ONE
Dr. A’s A’s office Dr. A: Help you? Bueras: Dr. A:
beg you on t!e "nees of my !eart#
T!is### $ell% er### you "no$### "no$### t ta"es time### &ne needs to establis!
a### Bueras: Dr. A:
must as" you to stay calm#
Bueras: Dr. A:
Doctor% please#
can ma"e an appointment for )riday#
Bueras: Dr. A:
Time? Time' Time' (!at t!e !ell are you tal"ing about?
)riday?
(ould (o uld five to si* be all rig!t? !ave not!ing before t!at#
+o% no% you don,t understand# need your !elp today# today# Rig!t no$# t,s t,s a matter of minutes#
Bueras:
Dr. A: +ot!ing
of any importance can possibly possibly be resolved in -a matter
of minutes.# Bueras: Dr. A:
Just listen to me#
At t!is moment it is /uite impossible# !ave prior commitments###
Bueras:
T!is is an emergency% doctor' ou must listen to me'
Don,t touc! me' beg you1 t!is is utterl utterly y ridiculous# ou ou burst into my office li"e a lunatic and you place me in a violent situation $!ic! in no $ay $ill !elp you to resolve your problem% $!ic!% if may say so% is /uite evident# $ill ma"e it /uite clear to you rig!t no$ t!at t!is is an office providing psyc!oanalytical t!erapy and not an emergency room# n fact% !ad you arrived five minutes later t!an you did
Dr. A:
you $ould !ave rung t!e doorbell till t!e co$s came !ome% for t!e simple reason t!at you $ould not !ave found me !ere# And in t!at cas casee you $ould !ave !ad no option but to go to a !ospital or somet!ing of t!e sort# Bueras: Dr. A:
A police station#
(!at?
Bueras:
f !adn,t found you ,d !ave !ad to go to a police station#
Silence. Dr. A:
don,t understand#
Bueras: Dr. A:
,m tal"ing about murder% doctor#
ur$!at?
Bueras:
urder# ur3der# ur3der# 4ut it can be prevented# ou ou could prevent it#
5lease% ,m running very late# ,d rat!er continue t!is conversation outside# aybe 6ll be able to !elp you# Dr. A:
Bueras:
+o% doctor' ou ou don,t understand'
7oo"% please% beg you# am not accustomed to t!is "ind of situation# Dr. A:
Bueras: Dr. A:
+or am #
(ell let,s leave% t!en#
Bueras:
Someone could be "illed#
8o to t!e police# ou ou said it yourself# f you !adn,t found me !ere you $ould !ave gone to a police station# Just imagine you didn,t find me% t!at $e never !ad t!is conversation# Dr. A:
t,s not a /uestion of reporting a murder# t,s t,s a /uestion of preventing one# Bueras:
Dr. A:
ou o u !aven,t come to t!e rig!t ri g!t person#
Bueras: Dr. A:
ou,re a co$ard#
ou,re o u,re absolutely rig!t# +o$% if you please#
!im today# Hardly an !our ago# Just J ust li"e you,ve been doing every (ednesday (ednesday for years# 7oo"% don,t "no$ you% don,t "no$ $!at you,re tal"ing about% and don,t "no$ $!y ,m listening to you#
Dr. A:
Bueras: Dr. A:
Stop playing games# T!is is serious#
$ill not allo$ t!is#
Bueras: 5ic" Dr. A: ou
up t!e p!one#
can,t force me to###
Bueras: Don,t Dr. A: (!o Bueras:
do you $ant? (!o sent you?
ou o u are t!e only person $!o can stop t!is#
Dr. A: Did Bueras:
are you? Are you $it! t!e police?
Don,t be ridiculous# 7isten to me# ou ou must spea" to Carlos#
Dr. A: (!at Bueras:
are you?
ou must do somet!ing#
Dr. A: (!o Bueras:
t!in" you,re protecting !im# o ou,d u,d only ma"e it $orse#
s!e !ire you? His $ife? Did Diana send you !ere?
C!rist' (e,re (e,re $asting time#
es% es% Dr. A:
Diana sent you# "ne$ somet!ing li"e t!is $ould !appen# ou,ve come to find out# ou,ve come to### ou,re armed% rig!t? ou,re blac"mailing me# ou ou,re ,re after my money% aren,t you? He takes out his wallet. Ta"e Ta"e it% loo"% not!ing but credit cards# ,ve no cas! on me' Bueras: 5ut t!at a$ay' He puts his hand in his jacket as if he were oin to take somethin out
of the inside breast pocket. Dr. A jumps. Dr. A:
Don,t'
!ueras takes out an address address book. Bueras:
S!ut up% sit do$n and do $!at say#
He takes the phone and dials a number number he looks up in his addr address ess book. Tal" Tal" to !im# Just say anyt!ing# Tell Tell !im you need to see !im# Tell !im it,s urgent# Dr. A holds the cradle down down with his finer. finer. Dr. A: 7oo"%
,m giving you e*actly one minute to get out of !ere# beg you# Don,t ma"e me call t!e police# T!ere is a limit to my professional curiosity and you crossed it some time ago% in ot!er $ords am not in t!e least bit interested in $!at "ind of a psyc!opat! you may be# 7et me ma"e it /uite clear t!at $ill not allo$ you or anyone else to interfere in any $ay $it! t!e relations!ip r elations!ip !ave $it! my patients# And don,t imagine for one second t!at you $ill ma"e me ruin my years of $or" $it! r# Carlos Cossio by follo$ing your outrageous instructions# He snatches the recei"er and puts it down. So get out of my office# +o$# Bueras:
Carlos is going to "ill someone% doctor#
Dr. A: So $!at? 7et !im "ill t!em# T!ere,s no need for me to get involved# Bueras:
(!y?
Dr. A: t
goes against professional et!ics#
9t!ics? Can,t you see t!at Carlos $ould be arrested and you,d !ave to appear in court? And t!at if t!e story got out it $ouldn,t e*actly be great publicity for you% t!at you mig!t mig!t lose all your patients? Bueras:
Dr. A: y
patients? T!is is blac"mail# T!oug! don,t see $!at benefit you $ould derive from it aside from t!e pleasure of doing me !arm# T!is be!avior pattern is typical of t!e perverse personality you seem to possess# 9veryt!ing leads me to believe t!at you,ve made all of t!is up# Bueras:
(e mig!t mig!t !ave been able to avoid certain details#
Dr. A: (!at do you mean? Bueras: mean you are forcing
me to brea" professional secrecy#
#ause T!e victim is Diana% Carlos, $ife# y si* o,cloc" on (ednesdays# (ednesdays# $ump cut to !ueras’ office.
TWO !ueras’ office. ,ve reali:ed somet!ing# t,s so appallingly idiotic# Carlos !as a mistress# Diana:
Bueras:
And !o$ did you find out?
ou "no$ don,t go t!roug! !is t!ings any ou a ny more# He said !e,d strangle me if p!otocopied !is appointment boo" again# 4ut t!ere are Diana:
many $ays of finding t!ings out# used to be a police officer% after all# Bueras: Diana:
Suc! as?
5assion#
Bueras:
ou,ve stopped !aving se*?
Diana: +o# Bueras:
(!at% t!en?
Diana:
ust tell you? t $ould be nice#
Bueras:
don,t li"e certain###
Diana:
She stops. She can’t et the words out. Bueras: Diana:
(!at?
Certain### certain -liberties. t!at Carlos ta"es#
Bueras:
7iberties? (!at liberties% e*actly?
#ause. Then %uickly: Diana:
(!en $e fuc" !e $ants to stic" !is fingers up my ass#
#ause Bueras: Diana:
T!at,s all?
ou don,t t!in" it,s enoug!?
#ause T!at ot!er slut must love it and !e t!oug!t it $ould also drive me $ild# 5ric"' Short pause n t!ree $ee"s ,ll tell !im $e,re splitting up# +ot before# $ant to $ait till $e,ve signed t!e lease on t!e ne$ apartment# And $!at do you t!in" it,s going to be li"e for you living $it! !im t!ese ne*t t!ree $ee"s?
Bueras:
Diana:
,ll fa"e it#
Bueras: Diana:
7oo"s li"e your mind,s made up#
es#
Bueras: (ill you Diana: (!y not? Bueras:
manage it? ,ve fa"ed $orse t!ings before#
(orse?
ou "no$# T!e ou T!e orgasms# (!en ,m mad at Carlos pretend not to !ave t!em# T!e t!ing is need !im to sign t!e lease on t!e apartment# Diana:
Bueras: Diana:
ou $ant !im to pay for it#
5recisely#
Bueras:
And t!en you,ll leave !im out on t!e street#
Diana: +ot
e*actly# imagine !e,ll !ave a place to go no$# no$# n any case% seeing as !e,s t!e guilty party% part y% rec"on ,m due some sort of compensation% don,t you t!in"? Bueras: Diana:
ou could tal" it over#
s t!at advice?
Bueras: Diana:
!ate advice#
Bueras: Diana:
ou "no$ it,s not# ,m ;ust mentioning a possibility# "no$# ,m tal"ing about an alternative#
(!y are you defending Carlos no$?
Bueras:
Am defending Carlos?
Carlos is a $ea" person% incapable of ta"ing any sort of initiative# He,s practically an invalid# ou "no$ t!at,s $!y married !im# And !e "no$s it too# He s!ould be$are of !aving certain ambitions### Diana:
Bueras: Diana:
&f po$er#
Bueras: Diana:
don,t understand#
t,s pretty obvious1 !e $ants to dominate me#
Bueras: Diana:
Ambitions?
&ironic' ou mean t!e fingers#
ou,re ma"ing fun of me# +o$ understand# ou,re against me#
Bueras:
,m not for or against anyone#
Really? So $!y do you suggest tal" t!ings over $it! !im? (!at are you proposing? Anot!er one of your !ealt!y -dates.? prefer my o$n met!ods# Diana:
Bueras: our met!ods? Time,ss almost up# Diana: Time,
ou ou leave it to me# ,m going to get $!at $ant# n t!ree $ee"s it,ll all be resolved# aybe sooner# Bueras: Diana:
(!at does it being resolved mean for you?
oney% affection% $ell3being# Just li"e you taug!t me#
Bueras:
-. taug!t you?
suppose t!e goal of all psyc!oanalysis is to become egocentric to t!e point of obscenity# obscenit y# Diana:
Bueras: Diana:
n your case% t!en% our results !ave been outstanding#
Are you proud?
Bueras: +o#
t ma"es me t!in" t!at $e s!ould suspend treatment for a
$!ile# Silence (e,re (e ,re stuc"# And you "no$ it1 t!is isn,t t!e first time $e,ve tal"ed about it# So? (!at do you mean% stuc"? Stuc"? (!at do care if $e,re stuc"? ,m paying for t!is# ,m t!e one $!o decides $!et!er "eep coming or not# Diana:
Bueras: +o#
T!at,s not t!e $ay it $or"s#
t isn,t? Ho$ did it go t!en? &ne day you called me up and said1 -Hey Diana% t!in" you,re completely fuc"ed up% $!y don,t you pop by my office?. (as (as t!at $!at !appened? don,t recall% funnily enoug!# Diana:
Bueras:
t!in" t!is is becoming counterproductive# n t!e beginning% t!e
$or" S!ut up% $ill you? don,t pay to listen to your fascinating rationali:ations# (e sorted t!at one out a $!ile ago# ou,re ou,re scared of me# Diana:
ou,re terribly li"e Carlos in t!at $ay# ou,re bot! scared and you,re bot! $imps# Bueras:
Diana% don,t get started#
Don6t get started on $!at? ,ve got t!ree minutes left# And ,m pretty clear on certain articles in our contract1 so long as don,t brea" as!trays or up!olstery can pretty muc! say $!at li"e# Diana:
Bueras: +e*t
(ednesday $ill be our (ednesday our last session#
#ause Diana1 C!ic"en'
T!at,s $!at you are' C!ic"en' ou,re a co$ard' )uc"ing co$ard' ou faggot'
!ueras slaps her. her. S She he suddenly stops. Then she starts cryin. She lea"es. !ueras oes back to Dr. Dr. A’s A’s office.
THREE Dr. A’s A’s office Dr. A:
ou !it !er?
Bueras:
couldn,t !elp it#
)ascinating# ,d never dare# be perfectly !onest% it,s i t,s not one of my usual met!ods# Bueras: To be Dr. A:
imagine you,re continuing t!e treatment# An episode li"e t!at must mean years of $or" ;ust to resolve t!e transference# Dr. A:
Carlos enters and lies down on the couch in Dr. A’s office. !ueras lea"es.
FOUR Dr. A’s A’s office ,m scared# Diana is not tal"ing and ,m scared# ,ve never seen !er li"e t!is# And s!e,s al$ays t!e first one to tal"# S!e must be planning somet!ing### t,s !er favorite pastime# S!e,s !oo"ed on intrigue# n t!e past $e $ould s!are it at least% but no$### no$### silence### Diana is terrible% doctor% because s!e,s capable of doing anyt!ing% so long as it,s $!at you least e*pect# Carlos:
#ause. Silence### t!in" it could drive me mad# +ot!ing is said### +eit!er one of us spea"s# And t!e mood gets t!ic"er% denser% !eavier= feel somet!ing is going to e*plode# 4ut can,t% can,t spea"# ,m a liar by nature% doctor% you "no$ t!at# Telling Telling t!e trut! ma"es me panic# Silence# Silence# And as time goes by feel /uite clearly t!at a ne$ reality is ta"ing s!ape% a
ne$ reality made up of silences% of loo"s% suspicion% con;ecture# Diana builds up a reality t!at is as true for !er as it is false for me# T$o T$o versions $!ic! drift furt!er and furt!er apart and become !arder and !arder to reconcile# T$o T$o $orlds# And >ve no idea $!ic! of t!e t$o $ould be more effective# can,t stop t!in"ing about it and it terrifies me# &ne day### anyt!ing could !appen### &ne day### day### someone could be "illed# Dr. A and !ueras !ueras look at each other. other. T!e silence is terrible% doctor' Silence ma"es anyt!ing is possible# Anyt!ing' t,s li"e dar"ness' Dr. A i"es Carlos an injection. Carlos Carlos falls asleep. Bueras: Dr. A:
&from his office' ou really use t!at stuff?
Just $ait and see# s ee# He,s obsessed $it! money#
Bueras:
,m not surprised# surprise d# o our fee must be astronomical#
Carlos wakes up in a state of euphoria. !ueras watches from his side of the stae. don,t $ant to pay for t!e lease of t!e ne$ apartment# t,s my money%% doctor' T!ere,s t$o $ee"s to go and don,t "no$ $!at to do it' money ### pay for everyt!ing' ever yt!ing' And And ,m sic" s ic" of it# 5ay% pay% pay% pay% for everyt!ing% t!e rent% t!e food% !er food% !er nig!ts out% !er clot!es% !er t!erapy' T!at $oman is suc"ing me dry' dr y' S!e,s "illing me' S!e,s suffocating me' S!e,s driving me mad' S!e,s "illing me' (!at can do% doctor?
Carlos:
Dr. A:
Associate#
Carlos:
don,t "no$# feel so bad#
Dr. A: +aturally% you,re Carlos: Dr. A:
Jealous?
&f Diana,s t!erapy# t!erap y#
Carlos: +o# Dr. A:
;ealous#
(!y s!ould s!ould be ;ealous?
t,s natural#
Carlos: +o#
t,s t!e t!e money# pay for everyt!ing#
T!ere,s not!ing $rong $it! allo$ing yourself to be ;ealous of someone# &ne s!ould e*pect t!at sort of mec!anism in someone $!o,s
Dr. A:
trying to compensate for guilt# Carlos: (!at guilt? ou !ave a mistress% ou mistr ess% Carlos# t,s strange t!at continually s!ould !ave to -remind. you# Dr. A:
Carlos: Dr. A:
A mistress?
ou don,t !ave one?
Carlos: +o# Dr. A: +o?
#ause Carlos: Dr. A:
t,s !appened again% doctor# lied to you again#
(!at?
Carlos: Dr. A:
y lover### is not a $oman# see#
4ut don,t get too e*cited% doctor# T!at,s not even close to being t!e $!ole trut!#
Carlos:
Carlos lea"es. (e return to the present with Dr. A and !ueras.
FIVE Dr. A’s A’s office es% found t!at out today% Diana es% Diana told me# 4ut !o$ does t!at c!ange t!ings?
Bueras:
(!at do you mean? t must !ave been a terrible blo$ for !er# 9specially for someone as paranoid as s!e is#
Dr. A:
Bueras:
5aranoid?
(ell% someone $!o p!otocopies !er !usband,s appointment (ell% boo"### t,s /uite obvious1 Carlos, fear is far more tangible t!at imagined# (!at $e,re dealing $it! !ere is not merely a $oman% but a !untress# Dr. A:
Bueras:
(!at do you mean% !untress? S!e could be "illed#
Dr. A: +o#
y customer $ould be incapable of Bueras: y $!at?
Dr. A:
y patient $ould be incapable of
Bueras: Dr. A:
(!at?
Bueras: Dr. A:
Just no$#
e? +o#
Bueras: Dr. A:
ou said -my customer.#
(!en?
Bueras: Dr. A:
-y customer.?
es you did# ou said -customer.#
,m telling you didn,t#
ou said it# !eard you# Dr. A: (!at is t!is% are you trying to interpret my actions?
Bueras:
Bueras: +o%
###
es% you,re trying to interpret my actions# T!is is priceless# ou,re es% ou,re insinuating t!at Carlos doesn,t interest me because don,t see !im as a patient but as someone $!o -pays. me% rig!t? Dr. A:
,m not insinuating anyt!ing nor do $ant to get involved in your mental bloc"s as an analyst# And believe me% you !ave t!em# Bueras:
&!% really? could interpret your interpretation% if you li"e% you "no$ t!at?
Dr. A:
Bueras:
!ave made no interpretation#
Ho$ very astute1 -T!e secret of a good interpretation is t!at it s!ouldn,t seem li"e one%. rig!t? ou,re t!e one saying t!at ,m Bueras: didn,t interpret a t!ing# ou,re Dr. A:
interpreting you# So suppose must be interpreting you# nterpreting me? +o% no% you didn,t interpret me# interpreted you in your attempt to interpret me# Don,t c!ange t!e terms no$#
Dr. A:
Bueras: Dr. A:
Constantly#
Bueras: Dr. A:
c!ange t!e terms? (!at are you tal"ing about?
Hence your ridiculous fear of your -!untress.#
(!at $ould really be ridiculous is if Diana died $!ile $e are !ere arguing and you do not!ing at all# al l# Bueras:
Dr. A: +ot!ing?
,m trying to ma"e you you see t!at your patient !as more motives for "illing mine t!an mine !as for "illing yours# Admit it' ou,ve o u,ve s!o$n me t!e evidence yourself# All rig!t% doctor% fine# f it $orries you so muc! ,ll admit t!at your interpretation is correct# +o$ ,ll as" you to Bueras:
Dr. A: +o# Bueras: Dr. A:
(!at?
t,s not correct# still don,t understand $!y you insist on
Bueras:
Doctor# (e !ave five minutes#
Dr. A: )ive minutes? Bueras: 4efore s!e gets
!ome#
!rief pause. 5lease% for goodness, sa"e### #ause. ,ve got it' es# ,ve got it# t,s you' ou are displaying symptomatic be!avior' &f course# ou,ve ou,ve assimilated your des desire ire to cure% as an analyst% $it! your patient,s suffering# ou ou believe all of t!is murder fantasy because if Diana is dead% s!e stops suffering# ou ou see? t is your unconscious desire to be successful as a t!erapist t!at Dr. A:
Bueras: Dr. A:
T!at,s enoug!% doctor#
7et me finis!#
Bueras: +o#
Silence. "no$ it sounds cra:y# cra: y# ,m as"ing you to do me a favor# As As one colleague to anot!er# &!% please# 7oo"% ,d be delig!ted% but your story !as all t!e logic of a dream#
Dr. A:
Bueras:
es% e s% it sounds absurd### but it is precisely precisel y t!e case#