Slumber Citizen Works as a Private Tutor for Deviant Citizen (cont.)
It would seem that such an effect – particularly in Deviant’s case – would be ideal. Not so. After a few hours, he would be (like most children) re-energized more than ever to terrorize.
And so, like a psychoanalyst in the style of Borges, Citizen came up with a unique concoction to treat Deviant’s nightmares (whether waking or sleep). She approached each one (whether remembered or not) as a flavor.
What does this one taste like?
A burp.
And do you like this taste?
Yes.
(When he liked it, she presumed it would be a recurring one, as children like to hold on to likeable nightmares and dreams.)
And this one?
Like mildew and vanilla crème.
Do you like this taste?
No and yes.
(With a mixed response like this one, its recurrence would be uncertain and therefore set aside for the time being.)
Yet another?
Bleh.
(Negative responses would incur immediate resistance and therefore a resistance to its incarnation).
Now at this point, it appears Citizen had very much strayed from the original wishes of Deviant’s parents. However, the results were quite impressive.
Treating each nightmare (whether imagined or lived) as a flavor turned it into a kind of a game for Deviant. He could feel free to explore a variety of nightmare flavors as he did with flavors of various foods, and the end result was the promotion and exploration of various selves that otherwise might have remained dormant or unnoticed. And this, after all, was the goal of the Institution and of his parents. Explore your various selves – any other than your deviant self.
But as with any other child’s game, Deviant grew bored and tired of it, and would revert to his core, psychotic self.
The Hungry Artist 