Twenty-Ninth Session

Mrs K. and Richard met on the road. Usually when this happened, Richard would run towards her, but this time he did not do so. All he said was, ‘Here we are.’ In the playroom he wanted first to make sure whether both he and Mrs K. had been punctual. He remained silent. After a while he said he had not brought the fleet. Mrs K. asked him whether he had forgotten it.

Richard replied no, but he did not feel like bringing it. (He was clearly determined not to cooperate.)

Mrs K. asked him after a pause what he was thinking about.

Richard first said, ‘Nothing.’ Then he said he had a thought, but he did not want to tell it. He walked about in the playroom, exploring and looking round, then went into the kitchen and turned on the tap. He held the plug under the tap and then squirted water in Mrs K's direction by holding a finger under the tap.

Mrs K. interpreted that this was like urinating and suggested that he might not wish to talk to her because that would mean to him splashing her with urine.

Richard said that the water looked dirty and added that the thought which he had not wanted to admit to Mrs K. was that he was not going to tell her anything that could make her say more