“The Littlest Balls Ever Company”: The Analysis of a Five-Year-Old Boy

This paper describes the two-and-a-half year analysis of a five year old boy, Nick. Apart from the intrinsic interest that most child analytic cases hold, there are two especially noteworthy features of this analysis. First, Nick underwent an extensive psychological evaluation at the hands of the treating analyst some months before the treatment began. Thus, the case provides data about how that prior relationship affected the analytic process that evolved. Second, Nick initiated a project with the analyst that he named “the littlest balls ever factory.” This project continued throughout the treatment, representing a variety of complex meanings. Although the genital and specifically testicular allusions in the name of this project seem obvious, the analyst came to understand that the project represented an equally important ego function: i.e., the enactment of an obsessional defensive process that allowed more dangerous and forbidden fantasies to emerge (A. Freud, 1936). This project represents a cautionary tale about not jumping to obvious conclusions. Nevertheless, the analyst was left with more questions than answers about the function of this all-important game to the patient.