Vladimir Kovalenko - Life bumps, how to correct

– Daddy, may I sleep in your room with Mummy tonight? Please, – Alice asked, smiling and bouncing slightly on the couch. – Your blanket is so soft, and Venya really likes it, too.

Asking for something, the girl always slightly squinted her eyes, which made her incredibly similar to her mother. The striking resemblance to Mary always somewhat amused Robert, as my daughter became at such moments isn’t in a childish seriousness. Almost nothing so he could not refuse her, and Alice so rarely asked for something with such enthusiasm.

– Let’s go, of course. And we could even read before going to bed.

The rest of the evening was wonderful. As cozy as it’s rarely been. No quarrels or scandals, no unsolvable problems, no difficult thoughts. They drank tea, then read «The Wizard of Oz» at bedtime. Surprisingly, Robert fell asleep easily and easily. Tomorrow was going to be a hard but interesting day. Deep in his heart he hoped that everything that was happening would be resolved very soon.

Chapter 3 – A first introduction to the Method

The frosty Sunday morning, sunny and piercingly bright, was invigorating. Shivering from the cold and holding hands, she and her daughter walked briskly toward the district art school. A still-life drawing class was to begin by 10:00, during which he could attend a session and then return for Alice and drive home. The plan was very simple and clear. And, in general, since yesterday evening he was doing very well, which could not help but create a certain positive mood. For example, for the first time in a long time his daughter went to her Sunday class with gusto, which was undoubtedly to his credit.

– I’m going to try very hard today, Daddy. And I’ll show you what I could draw. When are you coming? – Alice quickly chattered, putting rolled-up A3 sheets, crayons, and a still-life model out of her backpack on the table.

– As soon as class is over. Today I have things to do in the center of the city, but I’m not going to be late, don’t worry, – Robert stroked her head and smiled. – If anything, you know you can always call Daddy. And I’ll pick you up if you get off early.

Normally his wife and her mother didn’t approve of the phone in class, but to spite them, Robert let Alice take the new smartphone he’d given her a month ago for her eighth birthday today.

– Okay, Dad, – the girl nodded.

– Come on, good luck, – he smiled again, waved at her, and left the classroom.

According to the navigator, the office, where the group therapy was to take place, was within walking distance. Besides, there was still a whole hour before the start of the consultation. Therefore, Robert briskly walked through the familiar streets of the city. After passing a few uniform two-story apartment buildings, as can be found in every small town, he turned into a square, built, as far as he remembered, before the revolution. Farther down the path were a few benches along a circular plaza, adorned by a sheltered winter bed and the crowns of old ash trees that only grew in mountain latitudes. He loved the shadows cast by the bare, massive branches of these powerful trees. They formed a whimsical pattern on the old gray sidewalk tiles. Robert involuntarily slowed his step as he walked past. But the square was quite small, and as soon as he crossed it, he almost immediately found himself in a busy neighborhood with several stores. That’s where most of the city’s residents regularly shopped on weekends.

The stores were just opening. A guy brought fresh baked goods to the bakery in a van. Discussing something with the salesman, he unloaded tray after tray, bringing them into the store. A florist, for some reason unkindly looking at him, intensively sprayed the flowers exposed on the open showcase. So, grinning slightly, Robert turned his gaze to the glass windows of clothing stores. They were habitually displaying almost all the available costumes, put on mannequins. Such is the naivety of provincial marketing masters. In general Robert should have bought himself a new purse long ago, and on another day, had he been freer, he would certainly have gone into a small store with accessories. His salesman, an old haberdasher, who five years ago had been selling in a flimsy stall at the market, had now set up a pleasant «salon. He was always able to find the right option for Robert, smoothing out the pain of choice with up-to-date gossip.

The city lived its quiet and unremarkable life. He was a part of the city that tended to take part, even if timidly, in everything that was going on. However, in Robert’s opinion, it was quite insignificant. Immersed in his thoughts, he almost bumped into a jeep that had parked sharply in the middle of the sidewalk. A stocky man in a black down jacket fell out of the car and without any explanation attacked Robert shouting:

– Watch where you are going! Don’t you look under your feet at all, – followed by a couple of swear words.

The words fell like snow on my head and made me angry – after all he was not breaking anything, was not disturbing anyone.

– Hey! Watch where you’re going! Standing on the sidewalk! I’m going to call the traffic police and see… – Suddenly for himself Robert blurted out, stopping for a second. The blood rushed to his head instantly.

– The cleverest one has appeared.

The careless driver practically walked right up to him and apparently completely ignored the threat that came his way. The tension was building:

– I’m going to hit you before you get your phone out.

– Watch what you’re saying! There’s a lot of people here. What, you want to go to the station? – He wouldn’t let up, and didn’t move from his seat.

The prospect of a fight right before the consultation with a therapist didn’t particularly inspire him, but he was really angry. His recent frustrations were showing, and he didn’t feel much like holding back. Clenching his fists, he waited for the reaction of the boor, who, nervously twisting the keys in his hand, stared angrily at Robert.

Robert was plucked from oblivion by the ringing of the phone. It triggered a reminder of the consultation that was about to begin. The sound had a sobering effect on both of them, causing the driver to stop and shut up, and Robert to walk further down the sidewalk. He did, however, allow himself to wag his finger at his temple, in response to which his accidental companion shouted something rude in his wake. However, Robert didn’t hear what it was, because he was again immersed in his thoughts, thinking about what he would see and hear in the next hour and a half.

The consulting room was decorated in pleasant light colors. Fortunately, it didn’t have the main irritant that Robert was inwardly afraid of – the semi-darkness and the smell of incense, which caused him only melancholy. On the contrary, every detail of the interior tuned his thoughts to active work. Here is a freakishly curved vase by the window, composed as if of pieces of broken glass, paintings in the art nouveau style… All these nice nuances made up the general composition and remained distinctive separate elements at the same time. The furniture was laconic without fussy details. The guests were seated in soft brown sack chairs, and there was no space at all for a lecturer. A standard glossy white board hung on the wall, and above it a clock of the same white color with black strokes in a circle that conventionally denoted the numbers of the dial.

«Nothing taxing on the mind, nice, – Robert’s mind raced. – Nothing to be distracted by.» He looked at the people. The consulting room was filled with all sorts of clients. This fact surprised and intrigued him at the same time. To Robert’s right sat a young, moody-looking girl with a notebook in her hands. The closest to the board, with his back to him, was a man in his fifties, looking through something on his smartphone. Two middle-aged women, dressed as if for a dinner party, took seats near the exit. They were talking animatedly. Right next to Robert sat a young man about his age, dressed in a simple but cozy brown sweater and black worn jeans. The young man was jotting something down on a clipboard, but at the same time he looked frequently at his guests, and at Robert as well. It was not difficult to guess that it was this young guy, noticeably different from the inhabitants of this provincial town, who was an psychotherapist’s assistant.