Chapter Twelve.
Group Therapy
It’s so interesting to go to this gathering of citizens from different backgrounds, who were once united by a common value of depression and darkness and now have two different extremes in opinions of how to live life.
The community centre is dark and dreary. The black titled floor is clean ,but doesn’t have the gloss of the library and the palace. People are required to sign-in, including Calix.
The register has boxes for name, address, age and a question that asks ‘Are you Pro-Happiness, Pro-Despair or Neutral?’ with check boxes to tick your preferred option and in brackets is written ‘this is used for statistical purposes only.’ I go to sign-in but Calix informs me that I can’t as I’m not a citizen. He signs and ticks the ‘neutral’ box, probably not choosing a side as he wants to remain impartial as the Prince.
“I would have chosen ‘Pro-Despair,’” I tell him.
“Well don’t tell anyone Seren but I think I’m leaning that way myself. These Pro-Happiness group members are so happy it’s almost insincere and fake,” he says.
“I totally agree. There’s a realness about being broken. Whatever you say about the Pro-Despair citizens they are genuine. They won’t mask their feelings for anyone and I respect that,” I say.
We go into the hall of the centre, where a large circle of chairs has been arranged, many already taken. This isn’t going to be a lecture then, but an open discussion. Around half of the people here are dressed in bright colours and the other, slightly larger half are dressed in the customary costume of the city-black and grey .The latter half I assume to be Pro-Despair or neutral and unwilling to change. Calix has chosen to wear a slick, black suit with a light blue shirt. I suppose not to give any insight into his opinion away by his dress. I wear my black dress, knowing I’m under no obligation to be politically correct as I’m not even a legitimate member of this meeting.
There is one man with a handful of notes sitting in the centre and I presume it is he, not Calix who will be the official voice of this meeting.
Looking around I see some familiar faces including Alfred, Anita and Frederick(who are sitting together).Anita looks disgusted at the fact she is sitting in a community centre, surrounded by ‘ordinary’ people, although she is dressed glamorously as usual nonetheless. She can only be admired for turning the most mundane of places into a haute couture fashion show.
She spots me and looks me up and down, evidently not approving of my outfit as I do hers.
“Prince Calix, finally. A delight to see some civilised company. Come and sit with us,” she says motioning him to sit by her and Frederick, despite the fact the seats next to them on either side are already occupied.
“Thank Anita, but we’ll stay here,” he says politely declining.
Anita rolls her eyes and then exclaims “Oh can we just get this silly meeting over and done with please. I have better places to be than sitting in this dead end slum.” I wonder if she’s referring to the ballet.
“Yes. I think it’s time we made a start,” says the man with the notes.
“Please everyone be seated and we’ll begin,” he says motioning to the yellow clad Smiley who is just returning from the canteen with a paper cup of something hot.
“Well then. I assume you all know why we are here? My name is Frank Speakman and for any of you who have perhaps been living under a rock, cut off from recent happenings, I’ll fill you in. The City of the Broken, a city built on a collective consensus of values that we are Broken citizens has in recent weeks, quite rapidly and unbelievably become divided. Yes, divided into two main groups-those who believe in the original values of this city and those who believe the city would benefit in the changing of its very core beliefs,” he says and I can tell by the disdain in which he speaks of ‘changing beliefs’ that Frank is most definitely a traditionalist and therefore I assume, Pro-Despair.
“Now, I know that each of us in this room has very different opinions on the future of this city, but as we are all citizens here I’d ask you to be respectful of others opinions, whether you agree with them or not. Anyone guilty of harassment, violent or bullying behaviour will be asked to leave the meeting,” he says officially.
“Okay, any questions at the end please don’t be afraid to ask. Right, now we’ve cleared all that up. Let’s begin. Who’d like to be the first to offer an opinion?” he asks, looking around for a volunteer.
“I would like to say something,” says a man with greying hair, wearing a black waistcoat and with an expression of depression.
“Go right ahead Sir,” says Frank.
“I have lived in this city longer than ten years. Never before have I seen such disruption. These ‘Smiley’s’ are Pro-Chaos, not Pro-Happiness. They’re just youngsters who want their fifteen minutes of fame, rebelling to get their pictures in the paper. The city was fine just as it was. If it’s Broken, don’t fix it, is my motto,” he says angrily.
“Excuse me. I am a Smiley and this isn’t about fame or glory. I believe firmly in my cause and The Smiley’s have a policy to protest peacefully ,so your talk of chaos is complete falsehood and influenced by the lies the king has told the press about us. Our mission is to resuscitate a city that has been long since dead. We want to cooperate with citizens to bring choice and free will back into this City of forced despair. We are not ‘rebelling’ simply for having an opinion that is different,” says The Smiley who is dressed in sparkly yellow with a gold sash reading
‘Pro-Happiness’ tied around her.
“You both have relevant points to make, but it cannot be denied that this divide of the city has led to conflict between two groups who once identified with each other on the basis of their citizenship,” says Calix, adding his viewpoint.
“Your Majesty, it’s wonderful to hear your point of view. Are you Pro-Happiness or Pro-Despair?” asks Frank and everyone listens intently.
“I’m neither, I’m neutral. My opinion is that the city should be reunited .I don’t want two different groups with extremes of beliefs and I oppose those bans that stop people entering certain parts of the city based on their chosen side. This is one city and I’d like to keep it that way,” he says forcefully but diplomatically.
“Forgive me for saying this Prince Calix, but your father’s rule is oppressive. There would be no need for two groups with extreme views, if such extremity hadn’t been forced on citizens to live a life of sadness and to only ever wear black,” says the talkative Smiley.
“I feel very strongly about this issue, don’t I Frederick? That’s the only reason I entered this deprived part of the city. The citizens joined and were recruited because they had a certain set of beliefs to begin with, so to encourage them to turn to a complete opposite set of beliefs is ludicrous. They didn’t have to join this city, the King has only been catering to the publics wants and needs. Why change such a great city? You Smiley’s are simply troublemakers and yes I quite agree-attention seekers,” says Anita, her lisp giving a slightly comical affect to her speech.
“I can actually relate this to my own experience. I was recruited and joined, and yes I agree with the smartly dressed lady there that I wasn’t forced to join. I joined because I was broken and the offer to join a city where I would, for the first time in my life, fit in was simply too irresistible to turn-down. At first it was very liberating to be part of a world where unhappiness was the norm-no fake smiles. But then I found that I was becoming trapped in a cycle of despair that was encouraged-wear black, no smiling. It became suffocating .I do love the city, don’t get me wrong. It’s refreshing to have this portal of gloom, where smiling is un-cool and no one has to pretend. But sometimes, it’s just too restrictive. I guess I’d like more option and freedom to be happy when I want to be,” says a lanky, but pretty woman with long dark hair.
“Well. Thank you all very much for your opinions, we’ll take everyone’s views on board and use them to improve this group, and if we have Prince Calix’s support, the City. We’re running a bit low on time, so I’d like to wrap it up there. Any questions?”
“Yes, how long do you intend to run this group? I don’t fancy having to come here very often,” asks Anita looking around in disdain.
“I’m not quite sure to be honest. Any ideas Your Majesty?” asks Frank, looking at Calix.
“As long as it takes to reunite our city,” Calix says.
“Yes, quite as the Prince says. We want to establish order. Okay, so if that’s all the questions.
Thank you so very much for coming and I’ll see you all again next week,” says Frank Speakman.
“Wow Calix. That was intense!” I say, as we walk out together holding hands.
“I think there is a lot of work to be done here. There’s huge differences in opinion and a stubbornness on behalf of both groups. A compromise is definitely needed but Dad will never agree to one. I’m sure he wouldn’t even approve of group meetings like this. When he gets back from wherever he’s been, he’ll be furious. I know it,” says Calix, looking worried.
When I return home from the city, I think of how it’s changed since I first entered it.
I wonder where the king is and I’m perplexed by Frederic’s silence at the meeting. He’s a charismatic character and I’m sure everyone would have been intrigued by what he had to say.
While he looked interested and seemed to concentrate intently, his brooding and mysterious nature prevailed. Although maybe he found it difficult to get a word in anywhere, what with Anita and the Smiley doing most of the talking.
Suddenly I get a text from Calix ‘Home safe in palace. Dads back, business trip apparently. Oh Joy! Catch U tomorrow. C, xx.’
‘Ha-ha, rather U than me! C U tomorrow babe. Seren, xx,’ I reply.
I wonder if the King already knows about the divide or will Calix have to fill him in. I fall asleep looking forward to new gossip in school tomorrow.