that meaning (paraphrasing + labeling =
summary). We told Benjie he needed to listen
and repeat the “world according to Abu Sabaya.”
He needed to fully and completely summarize all
the nonsense that Sabaya had come up with
about war damages and fishing rights and five
hundred years of oppression. And once he did
that fully and completely, the only possible
response for Sabaya, and anyone faced with a
good summary, would be “that’s right.”Two days later Sabaya phoned Benjie. Sabaya spoke.
Benjie listened. When he spoke, he followed my script: he
commiserated with the rebel group’s predicament.
Mirroring, encouraging, labeling, each tactic worked
seamlessly and cumulatively to soften Sabaya up and begin
shifting his perspective. Finally, Benjie repeated in his own
words Sabaya’s version of history and the emotions that
came with that version.
Sabaya was silent for nearly a minute. Finally he spoke.
“That’s right,” he said.
We ended the call.
The “war damages” demand just disappeared.
From that point forward Sabaya never mentioned money
again. He never asked for another dime for the release of
Jeffrey Schilling. He ultimately became so weary of this
case and holding the young Californian that he let down his
guard. Schilling escaped from their camp, and Philippine
commandoes swooped in and rescued him. He returned