48 Myron SharafFury On Earth
medical student at the time. The other is that he describes the patient as having “four sis-
ters,” whereas Reich had only one brother. Interestingly enough, at one point in the narra-
tive he slips in a reference to the patient’s “younger brother.”
The patient had sought analysis because he suffered from states of depression and
a tendency to ruminate, in which he would make a “huge case” out of “little insignificant
things.” In the report, Reich as analyst writes that the patient broke off treatment after exact-
ly four weeks at the point where it was necessary for him to verbalize certain painful events
that had occurred in puberty.
Reich then has the patient send the analyst a lengthy letter describing on paper what
he could not say in person. Because of the importance of the incidents, I shall quote from
this “letter” in some detail. The analyst opens with an introductory paragraph:
“The point” at which the analysis broke off after so short a time because of the
patient’s conscious inhibitions, concerns a relationship which developed between
the patient’s tutor and his mother, and which the son observed from its beginnings.
Following a lengthy description [in the letter] of the mother’s beauty, he [the
patient] writes about this relationship.He then goes on to describe the entire incident in letter form:N (name of tutor) began to court her, stimulated by walks they took together. He
apparently became ever bolder as he recognized how things were going the jealous
scenes, etc. between my parents, and the fact that mother liked him. At the begin-
ning I was not completely clear about the developing relationship. But I began to
follow them when I noticed mother going into his room when father napped after
lunch. In part I was erotically curious, in part I was filled with fearful thoughts that
father would wake up. And from then on I played spy and pursuer, but at the same
time also defender (italicized by me the analyst) against any surprises from father. I
cannot clarify further the reasons for my behavior. Either it was unconscious hatred
against my father or sexual titillation to be aware of such stunning secrets about
which my father remained ignorant. I believe that both factors were equally respon-
sible for my behavior.
The relationship between my mother and tutor grew ever deeper; not a day
passed in which they did not seek and find the opportunity to be alone.
This state of affairs lasted about three months. Their meeting always took
place after lunch and was limited to a few minutes. I did not think of the possibil-
ity ofa sexual relationship. But one day I also became certain about that. Father
had gone away at about six o’clock. Mother had again gone to N and remained
there a very long time. I waited the whole time outside the room, struggling with
the decision whether to intrude or to tell father.A vague something held me back.
When mother emerged from the room, with flushed cheeks and an erratic,