‘All the time. Except—but I don’t have to tell you about no exceptions.’
He really grinned this time. ‘I see. One of my patients has been talking.’
‘One of your ex-patients. Your patients don’t talk.’
‘I ask them not to. That applies to you, too. What did you hear?’
‘That you know from what people say and do what they’re about to say and do, and that sometimes you let’m do it and sometimes you don’t. How did you learn to do that?’
He thought a minute. ‘I guess I was born with an eye for details, and then let myself make enough mistakes with enough people until I learned not to make too many more. How did you learn to do it?’
I said, ‘You answer that and I won’t have to come back here.’
‘You really don’t know?’
‘I wish I did. Look, this isn’t getting us anywhere, is it?’
He shrugged. ‘Depends on where you want to go.’ He paused, and I got the eyes full strength again. ‘Which thumbnail description of psychiatry do you believe at the moment?’