‘Just the offer of the towel and then the offer of dinner?’
‘Yes.’
‘Nothing else?’
‘No.’
‘All right,’ said Dr Oristo, placing her hands together with the tips of the fingers touching like a steeple. ‘I see we need to revisit some of our sessions. But first, Nelson, I’m afraid I have to return to the issue of clothes. I see you’re wearing scrubs today.’
Nelson looked down at his body as if this was news to him.
‘I am, yes,’ he said.
‘We’ve spoken about uniforms before, haven’t we?’
‘Have we?’
‘You know we have. On at least a dozen occasions. And what have we said?’
He hung his head low. ‘That I shouldn’t wear them in public,’ he replied. ‘That I need to be myself and not pretend to be something I’m not.’
‘Exactly. And you’re not a doctor or a nurse, Nelson, are you? In fact, to the best of my knowledge, you have no medical training whatsoever. What if an emergency was to take place and people mistook you for a professional? The consequences could be devastating.’
‘I just feel more confident when I wear a uniform,’ he protested. ‘People take me more seriously. And it’s not as if I’m hurting anyone, is it?’
‘I’m not sure that’s true. There’s one person you’re hurting.’
‘Let me guess. Nelson Fidel Cleverley.’
‘Exactly,’ said Dr Oristo. ‘And it’s not as if people look at you disparagingly when you’re not wearing one, is it?’
‘Martin does.’
‘Ah yes. Martin Rice,’ replied Dr Oristo. ‘And how have things been with him this week?’
‘The same as ever. He made a joke about me in assembly in front of all the boys. He called me Nelson Stupidly. I think some of the students have adopted it as a nickname for me. It’s what he used to call me years ago when we were children. You’d think he’d have outgrown it by now.’
‘It’s unfortunate that you and he ended up teaching in the same school,’ said Dr Oristo. ‘But I thought you were going to speak to the headmaster about the way he treats you? Bullying in the workplace is not as uncommon as you might think. As it happens, I’ve made my own receptionist’s life very difficult over the years.’
Nelson shook his head. ‘There’s no point,’ he said. ‘Martin and Mr Pepford go drinking together after school, they even play five-a-side football and take showers afterwards. Men who shower together after sports, well, there’s a bond there, isn’t there? It borders on the homoerotic but, of course, no one ever points that out. No, if I even tried to say something to the headmaster, he’d just laugh me out of his office. Or he’d tell Martin about it and things would get worse.’ He put the heels of his hands to the corners of his eyes and held them there for a moment before looking up at the ceiling. ‘God, what’s wrong with me?’ he asked, blinking back tears. ‘Why am I such a coward?’
‘You’re not a coward, Nelson,’ said Dr Oristo. ‘You’re a kind, intelligent young man who has difficulties with social situations and with confrontation. There are always going to be people out there who take advantage of other people’s good nature and, while I don’t know this man, it seems to me that Martin Rice is one of those people. But all of this will continue until you stand up to him.’
‘I know,’ said Nelson. ‘And when I’m talking to you, it all seems so simple. But then the days pass and I start struggling again. On my way here, I tried to talk to a woman at the Tube station. I followed your advice and somehow ended up saying something stupid about concentration camps being bad places.’
‘But concentration camps are bad places,’ said Dr Oristo, looking a little confused.
‘I know, but you don’t bring them up within sixty seconds of meeting someone, do you? Nazis should be kept until the third date, I feel.’
Dr Oristo burst out laughing and Nelson stared at her in surprise. This was something that had never happened before.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘That was unprofessional of me.’
Nelson smiled. He never made anyone laugh, let alone women.
‘And did you strike up this conversation or did she?’ asked Dr Oristo.
‘She did. She was looking over and made a remark about my clothes. She said she’d always had a thing for men in scrubs.’
‘Which you shouldn’t have been wearing.’
‘I know but … well, I was. And we got talking. I didn’t run away; I actually stood there and spoke to her. She seemed very nice. I liked her freckles.’
‘She was attracted to you.’
‘I doubt it.’
‘Nelson, she was. Women don’t approach strange men on Tube platforms and start talking to them unless they think that man looks friendly and interesting. And, believe me, you’re a very strange man. She must have been attracted to you.’
‘Well, if she was, it only took a few minutes for her to see sense.’
‘But at least you engaged with her, and you should be proud of that. That’s what these sessions are all about, remember? Building your confidence. Trying to help you talk to people without feeling such anxiety.’ She paused for a few moments, waiting for Nelson to agree, but when he said nothing, she spoke again. ‘How are things with your parents these days?’ she asked. ‘I presume you’re still living at home?’
‘Of course. Where else would I be living?’
‘Many twenty-two-year-olds have their own places these days.’
‘Not in London, they don’t. And if they do, it’s a cardboard box by the banks of the Thames. Anyway, I like it at home. I feel safe there. Although, earlier today, Mum arrived home with a tortoise. So that’s a worry.’
‘A tortoise?’
‘It belongs to a friend of hers, apparently. She’s minding it. I didn’t like the way it looked at me. I thought a reptile would be the last thing Mum would want in the house, but she seems to be fond of it because, when I left, it was sitting on her lap and she was stroking its shell.’
‘And what about your father? How is he?’
‘Fine, I suppose.’
‘I saw him on television this weekend,’ said Dr Oristo. ‘Interviewing Mick Jagger. I thought he looked rather tired.’
‘Which one?’
‘Well, both of them, I suppose. Perhaps the burdens of fatherhood just happen to be weighing on his mind right now. He sees you struggle, and from what you’ve told me, living with Elizabeth and Achilles isn’t always easy. Perhaps he’s looking for a way to connect with you all? You should allow that to happen if that’s what he’s after. I’m sure he loves you very much.’
‘I know he does,’ said Nelson. ‘I know they both do. I have no terrible dark secrets from my childhood so I don’t understand why I’m so messed up. A twenty-two-year-old virgin who can’t talk to women and is being bullied at school by the same man who bullied me when we were pupils. Achilles is five years younger than me and he’s so much better evolved.’