Characters – Joseph

Joseph is the consummate analyst. He has spent years studying to be a psychologist with the hopes of getting a job to help fix all of the wrongs in peoples’ lives. For Joseph there is no down time. Any interaction he has with another is an opportunity to practice his craft. No one can speak with him without giving away hidden, deep unfulfilled thoughts that need to be repaired. A simple, “Hello Joseph, how are you doing?” leads to the inevitable, “What does he really want from me? It must be his deep insecurity and need for affection, which derived from a childhood trauma.”

Joseph is a kindly, well-intentioned person. He speaks with such clarity, knowledge and purpose that you can’t help but believe everything he says. He derives a lot of his knowledge from reading articles in newspapers, magazines and on the Internet. He has been doing this analysis for so long that he forgets that some things happen, just because they happen and for no other particular reason.

Once used to Joseph’s demeanor, one adapts. Taking what he has to say with a grain of salt, following through on what seems plausible and ignoring the rest. When following through, one must make sure to seek out different perspectives, for Joseph’s analysis does not necessarily come from actual experience. Book knowledge is a wonderful thing, but out in the real world, not everyone follows the rules.