When the young teenager arrived, she had an air about here that reeked of something that Jefferson found all too familiar. The girl had a presence about her when she entered the office, as if Cleopatra herself was entering the throne room. She wasn’t wearing anything provocative, as she was wearing a school uniform as she had come straight to Jefferson’s office from there. She had a knapsack that looked overfilled with stuff. It looked like a pack a soldier might wear when in the trenches of war, stuffed to the point where it felt like it was going to explode. Without being asked, the snooty teen dropped the knapsack down beside the couch and proceeded to sit down without being asked. It gave Jefferson the sense that she was familiar with the process and wasn’t in the mood to waste anyone’s time. Her hair was a bright blonde, and it was split up into two pig tails, that no doubt made her look appealing to her classmates. She had an attitude that suggested she might not give a crap about what anyone thought about her, but that might have been a façade. Jefferson was no stranger to this kind of nonchalant attitude, as he was a father of a few snooty teens himself. He had walked through this mine field before and was ready to try again for the sake of his patient. Jefferson took a deep breath and then walked over to his own chair and took a seat.
“Good afternoon,” Jefferson started, “I’m Doctor Jefferson.”
“Hey,” the young girl replied.
“And you are?” Jefferson asked.
“Don’t you know?” The girl sniped back.
“Of course I do,” Jefferson said, “But I’m asking you to return to my decorum by introducing yourself. It’s what civilized people do when meeting fort he first time.”
“Is it now?” the girl replied, “Are you saying I’m not civilized?”
“Not yet,” Jefferson said, looking amused. “Are you?”
“No,” the girl answered. “I’m Savannah.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Savannah.” Jefferson added.
“Is it?” Savannah asked.
“I hope so,” Jefferson honestly replied, “I try to see the best in people rather than assume they’re all going to be trouble.”
“Uh huh,” Savannah said, nearing grunting it. “So you’re more of a hope for the best, prepare for the worst kinda guy then?”
“You could say that,” Jefferson agreed, “Are you?”
“Not really,” Savannah said, “I tend to often get caught off guard, but I usually work through it and make the best out of things.”
“That’s not an easy thing to do,” Jefferson noted, “We call that real time troubleshooting.”
“What do you mean real time?” Savannah asked.
“It means something that is occurring in the right now,” Jefferson answered, “As in right now… real time. To solve things like that on the fly is a sign of elevated intelligence and strength.”
“Really?” Savannah said, looking rather surprised about it. “I just thought I was lazy. At least that what my parents think.”
“Your parents think you’re lazy?” Jefferson asked.
“They do, but I disagree with them.” Savannah said, laying her head on the back of the couch and scanning the room. “I get bored easily, and I tend to move on quickly rather than commit to tasks.”
“I see,” Jefferson said, “So if you become bored of something, you pass on it as if it’s a waste of your time… that the task is somehow beneath you?”
“I didn’t say that,” Savannah countered, “Some of that’s true, I guess.”
“How old are you?” Jefferson asked.
“Don’t you know?” Savannah said, almost in a degrading way. “Fuck, it’s like you showed up for an exam without studying! Didn’t you read my file?”
“I did,” Jefferson said, amused by the girls metaphor. “But I want to hear how you answer it. You may not believe it, but how you answer basic questions tells me a lot about you. This is why I ask my patients the basics to hear how they respond to it in their own words. I know you’re fourteen, but I want to hear how you classify your age. I want to know if you consider yourself a teenager, a girl, or even a young woman. How you word them will give me a lot of Intel that will in turn point me in the direction I think we need to go.”
“Okay,” Savannah said, rather fascinated by it. “I’m going to be fifteen next November, on the seventeenth. I also do not consider myself a girl, a teen, or even a young woman.”
“Is that so?” Jefferson asked, as his curiosity peaked. “What do you refer to yourself as, Savannah?”
“Human,” Savannah replied, “An equal member of this global community.”
“I hate to break it to you, Savannah,” Jefferson started, “But not all members of this world are considered or treated as equals. Where we are born, and other factors often lead to some people treated and considered as more valuable. I’m not saying it’s right, but that’s just how things are in certain parts of this planet.”
“It’s not fair,” Savannah said.
“The world isn’t fair, little one.” Jefferson said, “But that doesn’t mean we have to accept it as it is. We can fight for change, and it might take a while for things to change to occur, but it does happen on occasion.”
“Whatever,” Savannah said, almost hitting as reset button on their session but not quite.
“If that doesn’t interest you,” Jefferson said, deflected her glib statement. “Why do you tell me why your parents felt it was necessary for you to see me. Why do the people who brought you into this world believe that you are in need of professional help?”
“They’re the ones who are crazy,” Savannah said, “Freaking out about something that is no big deal.”
“What are they freaking out about?” Jefferson asked, trying to use the first opening he noticed.
“I’m not talking about that,” Savannah said, “I tried to keep it a secret, but someone dragged it out into the light.”
“And you weren’t ready for that?” Jefferson asked.
“Fuck, no!” Savannah shouted.
“Please, watch your language.” Jefferson said, as he sighed deeply. Savannah wasn’t the only patient to cuss, but he tended to let certain people get away with it, especially if they were adults. It was hard enough for Jefferson to get the young teen to respect the process, so he had to be tough about a lot of things, especially the crude language.
“Sorry,” Savannah said, sounding rather sincere. “I tend to swear when I want to emphasize how I feel.”
“I understand,” Jefferson said, “But if you could try to restrain yourself a bit, I will try to appreciate when you feel certain moments are suitable for such cusses. Alright?”
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“I suppose,” Savannah said, “I like to swear.”
“I do too,” Jefferson said, “But if you do it to much, the words in question tend to lose their value. Their emphasis, as you put it, gets lost if you toss them out too often. If you refrain from using them that much, the times when you do use will have the effect that you greatly desire.”
“I’ll try to remember that,” Savannah said, conceding the point.
“Thank you,” Jefferson said, “I appreciate your efforts.”
“Well, they’re still idiots.” Savannah resumed.
“Your parents?” Jefferson asked. “That’s rather harsh.”
“Not of it’s true,” Savannah countered, “Sometimes the truth hurts, and that isn’t my fault for being honest with them.”
“I get that,” Jefferson agreed, “But there is such a thing as being brutally honest. The truth can hurt, and sometimes people use that as a weapon just so they can watch someone metaphorically bleed.”
“You think that’s what I’m doing?” Savannah asked.
“No,” Jefferson answered, “You telling me what you think is the truth, for the sake of truth rather than to be humiliating. Why do you think they’re idiots?”
“Because they’re trapped in the past,” Savannah said, “Trapped by culture, beliefs and even creeds that prevent them from seeing the world that way that it really is.”
“I see,” Jefferson said, “And you don’t share those views?”
“No way,” Savannah confirmed, “Not even a little bit. They can take that self-righteous traditions and stick it up their… well, where the sun don’t shine.”
“Fair enough,” Jefferson said, as he was getting a feel for what was going on. “I take it from your answers that you are not religious.”
“Is there anything wrong with that?” Savannah asked.
“Not in the slightest,” Jefferson said, “You are quite literally preaching to the choir here, if you’ll excuse my corny metaphor.”
“Oh,” Savannah said, rather surprised. “I was expecting you to be just like them, and maybe even follow the same things.
“I’m not sure who recommended me to your parents,” Jefferson continued, “But the subject of religion never came up when I spoke with them about you. I could tell they appeared to be traditional based on a few factors but that never came up in my actual conversation with them.”
“That is so odd,” Savannah said, “They talk about it a home all the time as if it’s the only thing that matters.”
“That is rather interesting,” Jefferson said, considering that their lack of questions regarding religion led them to send Savannah to starting doing therapy with a fellow non believer. Jefferson would be the last person to bash religion while in session, but he wasn’t going to allow it to be promoted in his presence either. The doctor preferred to remain as neutral as possible when it came to organized religion, but he was starting to get the feeling that might not be avoidable in this instance.
“Are your parents aware of your humanism?” Jefferson asked, “Do you attend church with them? Give window dressing every Sunday?”
“I used to,” Savannah said, thinking about it. “But I got bored and stopped indulging them a while back.”
“Is that why your parents are concerned?” Jefferson asked.
“Sort of,” Savannah said, “They actually disapprove of the person that I wanted to hang out with.”
“Oh,” Jefferson said, “You’re dating someone?”
“No,” Savannah said, “I’m not ready to date. I said hang out with, but they assume people who share a space for too long must be dating or fu… doing things that are not allowed before marriage.”
“That’s a rather big assumption, Savannah.” Jefferson noted, “Are their assumptions true or just hot air coming from helicopter parents?”
“Hot air,” Savannah answered, “I’m not ready for that either.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Jefferson added.
“You are?” Savannah said, rather grossed out.
“Not that way,” Jefferson said, aware his statement was misinterpreted. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told my kids. Whenever the time comes that they decide to engage in this kind of behavior, I hope that they do it for themselves and not to please someone else. Admitting that you’re not ready tells me you take the matter seriously, and that was what I was glad to hear. That you respect yourself and your body is something that should be to be admired, cherished. That’s call integrity.”
“Okay,” Savannah said, easing up a bit. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s alright,” Jefferson said, “I’ll try to chose my words a little more carefully in the future.”
“Thanks,” Savannah said, “I wish my parents would be just half as considerate as you are regarding my situation.”
“What are they not being considerate about?” Jefferson asked. “You’re going to have to tell me in order for us to work through it. Why did your parents send you here?”
“Because I kissed someone,” Savannah answered.
“I see,” Jefferson said, “I take it this was no ordinary kiss.”
“You are correct,” Savannah confirmed, “This was my first kiss, and my parents reacted like I had just committed a mortal sin.”
“Aren’t you just exaggerating a bit here?” Jefferson asked.
“I wish I was,” Savannah insisted, “They literally told me what I did was a sin before god, and that if I didn’t stop I would burn in hell for all eternity.”
“That’s a terrible thing to say,” Jefferson responded, with an air of disgust in his voice, “Especially to one’s own child.”
“I agree,” Savannah said, “But that is exactly what they said.”
“I’m sorry you had to hear that,” Jefferson started, “In my opinion the threat of hellfire and damnation is nothing short of child abuse. It’s unfair to burden any child with dogma, let alone threaten them if they don’t follow it to their liking. Quite frankly, I find it appalling.”
“Amen to that,” Savannah said, and they shared a laugh.
“It can’t be this simple,” Jefferson said, as he continued to pry. “I realize a kiss can be important, but why are your parents freaking out so much?”
“It was because of who kissed me rather than the kiss itself.” Savannah said, “The whole reason for their offense actually repulses me.”
“Why are they so offended?” Jefferson asked, “Was the boy in question of a different ethnic background, or creed even?”
“No,” Savannah replied, “The person who kissed me wasn’t even a boy.”
“I see,” Jefferson said, as he let that hang for a moment. Seconds later he realized he needed to be more direct. “Are you gay, Savannah?”
“Honestly,” Savannah said, “I don’t know.”
“That’s interesting,” Jefferson noted, “Saying I don’t know is the most honest thing someone can say. People are often afraid to speak those three words, to the point where some consider it brave to even mutter.”
“So you don’t care that I kissed a girl?” Savannah asked.
“I don’t,” Jefferson confirmed, “I know your parents think otherwise but how you like your eggs done has no effect on my or my own relationships. Considering how religious your parents are, I’m starting to realize why they suddenly think you need to speak with me.”
“They don’t want a gay daughter,” Savannah said, “Their homophobia is shocking and makes me sick to my stomach.”
“Does it upset you because you might be gay yourself?” Jefferson asked, “Are you scared that your parents might reject you?”
“You mean more than they already do?” Savannah answered, “They’ve torn down anything from my walls that even looks remotely gay. I came home and various posters and CDs were missing from my room. They even forbid me from seeing the girl who kissed me, which is near impossible since we both attend the same damn school?”
“That must be very frustrating,” Jefferson said, “To be order not to hang out with someone, and because of rather superficial reasons as well.”
“It is,” Savannah admitted, “They such bigoted idiots.”
“I’m sorry you have to deal with this,” Jefferson added, “But unfortunately it’s not illegal to be a bigoted idiot.”
“How can they forbid me to see someone that I like?” Savannah asked.
“They can’t,” Jefferson reminded her, “Like you said, the task is pretty much impossible. It’s like China trying to outlaw religion. Sure, they can try to burn as many books as they can and imprison people who don’t follow the law, but you cannot ban thoughts or how people feel. That same standard applies to you and this girl who kissed you.”
“I haven’t talked to her since it happened,” Savannah said.
“When did it happen?” Jefferson asked.
“Two weeks ago,” Savannah answered, “I just don’t know what to think.”
“I understand,” Jefferson said, “You should never feel rushed, and can take all the time you need to process. Yet there is one thing that you need to know while thinking about it.”
“And what is that?” Savannah asked.
“That their anger might not be just about this girl,” Jefferson replied, “As a father I can testify that if my fourteen your old kissed anyone, boy or girl, I would respond in a similar fashion to how your parents did. Some people believe that you’re too young to do things like this and should wait until you’re older to tackle what are consider adult issues. There is a very good chance that your parents might have responded the same way if a boy had kissed you instead. I’m sure they might be a bit angrier it was a girl, but I can assure you that the kiss itself is a reason for their anger too. Okay?”
“I suppose,” Savannah said, as she seemed to understand. “It just upset me to hear them say such bigoted things.”
“I can imagine it was,” Jefferson agreed, “To hear someone you respect say such hateful and hurtful things. I’m sorry you had to hear that.”
“Do you think what I did was wrong?” Savannah asked.
“A part of me wants to say no,” Jefferson said, “But to be honest… there’s another part of me that believes that a kiss is a very important thing. It means something, and it should be taken seriously.”
“Alright,” Savannah said, “That makes sense, I guess.”
“We can work on all if this if you want,” Jefferson offered, “I can offer you a place that is free of judgement. Somewhere that you can talk freely about what’s on your mind, without fearing your parents learning about it.”
“You won’t tell them?” Savannah asked.
“There are strict guidelines concerning this,” Jefferson explained, “The only time I can break your trust is if I feel you are about to harm someone, or yourself. Either than that, I cannot tell anyone what goes on here… even your parents.”
“Alright,” Savannah said, “That sounds cool.”
“Glad to hear it,” Jefferson said, “So what is this girl’s name?”
A small smile slowly appeared on Savannah’s face. “Crystal.”