Empathy No. 057
ELEANOR: Roderick's been spending a lot more time away from home lately. I know I should be happy for him - I mean, it's what I always wanted, for him to get out and have fun with kids his own age. But, uh...I'm just feeling uneasy about it, I guess. He's been going over to this girl's house after school-
DR. BRAWNEY: This is his girlfriend?
ELEANOR: Yes, her name is, uh...Carlie, Carlie Anderson.
DR. BRAWNEY: Have you had a chance to meet her?
ELEANOR: Not really, she comes over with Allison sometimes, but usually they're gone before...actually, I talked with Allison a little bit about Carlie, and she's a little cagey, but the gist is that she doesn't Roderick should be seeing this girl.
DR. BRAWNEY: Do you have an opinion on the matter?
ELEANOR: It's his life, I really don't know anything about it.
DR. BRAWNEY: Eleanor, you often seen very reluctant to voice what's on your mind. You brought up Carlie Anderson, so you must have an opinion.
ELEANOR: I'm not going to say he can't see her.
DR. BRAWNEY: But what do you think?
ELEANOR: I think...What I really think is that I'm jealous of a sixteen year-old girl. I think I'm a cliche, you know...I've spent so long raising him that I don't know how to do anything else. He's not a little boy anymore, and one of these days he's going to be gone and then what? I mean, I've got Jason and Brooke for a while, but I don't know what comes after that.
DR. BRAWNEY: You still have your relationship with Lloyd.
ELEANOR: ...I think he regrets marrying me.
DR. BRAWNEY: What makes you say that?
ELEANOR: We hardly ever talk, and I still really don't get along all that well with Allison, and...he's not going to say anything, he's not that kind of man. Maybe we both rushed into this.
DR. BRAWNEY: Both of you lead very busy lives. Are you certain that it's not your schedules that might be creating this problem?
ELEANOR: Everybody tells me that, that I should loosen up my schedule. Even Roderick told me that. He thinks I should get back into my art.
DR. BRAWNEY: Is that something you want to pursue?
ELEANOR: I don't really see the point, I'm too old for a career like that.
DR. BRAWNEY: But is it something you would want to do?
ELEANOR: It doesn't...Okay, yes, I do want to do that, but it's a fantasy. I gave that up a long time ago. What good is it to pretend that I'm going to make it big one day?
DR. BRAWNEY: What about pursuing art as a hobby?
ELEANOR: I've never had time for a hobby.
DR. BRAWNEY: Do you have time now?
ELEANOR: I suppose I do, but I just...I just don't know. I just don't know.