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Danny's　is　still　way　too　big　for　him。　Ever　had　his　IQ　tested？〃　
　　〃I　don't　believe　in　them；〃　Jack　said。　〃They　straight…jacket　the　expectations　
of　both　parents　and　teachers。〃　
　　Dr。　Edmonds　nodded。　〃That　may　be。　But　if　you　did　test　him；　I　think　you'd　find　
he's　right　off　the　scale　for　his　age　group。　His　verbal　ability；　for　a　boy　who　is　
five　going　on　six；　is　amazing。〃　
　　〃We　don't　talk　down　to　him；〃　Jack　said　with　a　trace　of　pride。　
　　〃I　doubt　if　you've　ever　had　to　in　order　to　make　yourself　understood。〃　Edmonds　
paused；　fiddling　with　a　pen。　〃He　went　into　a　trance　while　I　was　with　him。　At　my　
request。　Exactly　as　you　described　him　in　the　bathroom　last　night。　All　his　
muscles　went　lax；　his　body　slumped；　his　eyeballs　rotated　outward。　Textbook　auto…　
hypnosis。　I　was　amazed。　I　still　am。〃　
　　The　Torrances　sat　forward。　〃What　happened？〃　Wendy　asked　tensely；　and　Edmonds　
carefully　related　Danny's　trance；　the　muttered　phrase　from　which　Edmonds　had　
only　been　able　to　pluck　the　word　〃monsters；〃　the　〃dark；〃　the　〃pounding。〃　The　
aftermath　of　tears；　near…hysteria；　and　nervous　stomach。　
　　〃Tony　again；〃　Jack　said。　
　　〃What　does　it　mean？〃　Wendy　asked。　〃Have　you　any　idea？〃　
　　〃A　few。　You　might　not　like　them。〃　
　　〃Go　ahead　anyway；〃　Jack　told　him。　
　　〃From　what　Danny　told　me；　his　‘invisible　friend'　was　truly　a　friend　until　you　
folks　moved　out　here　from　New　England。　Tony　has　only　bee　a　threatening　figure　


　
　
since　that　move。　The　pleasant　interludes　have　bee　nightmarish；　even　more　
frightening　to　your　son　because　he　can't　remember　exactly　what　the　nightmares　
are　about。　That's　mon　enough。　We　all　remember　our　pleasant　dreams　more　
clearly　than　the　scary　ones。　There　seems　to　be　a　buffer　somewhere　between　the　
conscious　and　the　subconscious；　and　one　hell　of　a　bluenose　lives　in　there。　This　
censor　only　lets　through　a　small　amount；　and　often　what　does　e　through　is　
only　symbolic。　That's　oversimplified　Freud；　but　it　does　pretty　much　describe　
what　we　know　of　the　mind's　interaction　with　itself。〃　
　　〃You　think　moving　has　upset　Danny　that　badly？〃　Wendy　asked。　
　　〃It　may　have；　if　the　move　took　place　under　traumatic　circumstances；〃　Edmonds　
said。　〃Did　it？〃　
　　Wendy　and　Jack　exchanged　a　glance。　
　　〃I　was　teaching　at　a　prep　school；〃　Jack　said　slowly。　〃I　lost　my　job。〃　
　　〃I　see；〃　Edmonds　said。　He　put　the　pen　he　bad　been　playing　with　firmly　back　in　
its　holder。　〃There's　more　here；　I'm　afraid。　It　may　be　painful　to　you。　Your　son　
seems　to　believe　you　two　have　seriously　contemplated　divorce。　He　spoke　of　it　in　
an　offhand　way；　but　only　because　he　believes　you　are　no　longer　considering　it。〃　
　　Jack's　mouth　dropped　open；　and　Wendy　recoiled　as　if　slapped。　The　blood　drained　
from　her　face。　
　　〃We　never　even　discussed　it！〃　she　said。　〃Not　in　front　of　him；　not　even　in　
front　of　each　other！　We　—　〃　
　　〃I　think　it's　best　if　you　understand　everything；　Doctor；〃　Jack　said。　〃Shortly　
after　Danny　was　born；　I　became　an　alcoholic。　I'd　had　a　drinking　problem　all　the　
way　through　college；　it　subsided　a　little　after　Wendy　and　I　met；　cropped　up　
worse　than　ever　after　Danny　was　born　and　the　writing　I　consider　to　be　my　real　
work　was　going　badly。　When　Danny　was　three　and　a　half；　he　spilled　some　beer　on　a　
bunch　of　papers　I　was　working　on　。。。　papers　I　was　shuffling　around；　anyway　。。。　　
and　I　。。。　well　。。。　oh　shit。〃　His　voice　broke；　but　his　eyes　remained　dry　
and　unflinching。　〃It　sounds　so　goddam　beastly　said　out　loud。　I　broke　his　arm　
turning　him　around　to　spank　him。　Three　months　later　I　gave　up　drinking。　I　
haven't　touched　it　since。〃　
　　〃I　see；〃　Edmonds　said　neutrally。　〃I　knew　the　arm　had　been　broken；　of　course。　
It　was　set　well。〃　He　pushed　back　from　his　desk　a　little　and　crossed　his　legs。　
〃If　I　may　be　frank；　it's　obvious　that　he's　been　in　no　way　abused　since　then。　
Other　than　the　stings；　there's　nothing　on　him　but　the　normal　bruises　and　scabs　
that　any　kid　has　in　abundance。〃　
　　〃Of　course　not；〃　Wendy　said　hotly。　〃Jack　didn't　mean—　〃　
　　〃No；　Wendy；〃　Jack　said。　〃I　meant　to　do　it。　I　guess　someplace　inside　I　really　
did　mean　to　do　that　to　him。　Or　something　even　worse。〃　He　looked　back　at　Edmonds　
again。　〃You　know　something；　Doctor？　This　is　the　first　time　the　word　divorce　has　
been　mentioned　between　us。　And　alcoholism。　And　child…beating。　Three　firsts　in　
five　minutes。〃　
　　〃That　may　be　at　the　root　of　the　problem；〃　Edmonds　said。　〃I　am　not　a　
psychiatrist。　If　you　want　Danny　to　see　a　child　psychiatrist；　I　can　remend　a　
good　one　who　works　out　of　the　Mission　Ridge　Medical　Center　in　Boulder。　But　I　am　
fairly　confident　of　my　diagnosis。　Danny　is　an　intelligent；　imaginative；　
perceptive　boy。　I　don't　believe　he　would　have　been　as　upset　by　your　marital　
problems　as　you　believed。　Small　children　are　great　accepters。　They　don't　


　
　
understand　shame；　or　the　need　to　hide　things。〃　
　　Jack　was　studying　his　hands。　Wendy　took　one　of　them　and　squeezed　it。　
　　〃But　he　sensed　the　things　that　were　wrong。　Chief　among　them　from　his　point　of　
view　was　not　the　broken　arm　but　the　broken　—　or　breaking　—　link　between　you　two。　
He　mentioned　divorce　to　me；　but　not　the　broken　arm。　When　my　nurse　mentioned　the　
set　to　him；　he　simply　shrugged　if　off。　It　was　no　pressure　thing。　‘It　happened　a　
long　time　ago'　is　what　I　think　he　said。〃　
　　〃That　kid；〃　Jack　muttered。　His　jaws　were　clamped　together；　the　muscles　in　the　
cheeks　standing　out。　〃We　don't　deserve　him。〃　
　　〃You　have　him；　all　the　same；〃　Edmonds　said　dryly。　〃At　any　rate；　he　retires　
into　a　fantasy　world　from　time　to　time。　Nothing　unusual　about　that；　lots　of　kids　
do。　As　I　recall；　I　had　my　own　invisible　friend　when　I　was　Danny's　age；　a　talking　
rooster　named　Chug…Chug。　Of　course　no　one　could　see　Chug…Chug　but　me。　I　had　two　
older　brothers　who　often　left　me　behind；　and　in　such　a　situation　Chug…Chug　came　
in　mighty　handy。　And　of　course　you　two　must　understand　why　Danny's　invisible　
friend　is　named　Tony　instead　of　Mike　or　Hal　or　Dutch。〃　
　　〃Yes；〃　Wendy　said。　
　　〃Have　you　ever　pointed　it　out　to　him？〃　
　　〃No；〃　Jack　said。　〃Should　we？〃　
　　〃Why　bother？　Let　him　realize　it　in　his　own　time；　by　his　own　logic。　You　see；　
Danny's　fantasies　were　considerably　deeper　than　those　that　grow　around　the　
ordinary　invisible　friend　syndrome；　but　he　felt　he　needed　Tony　that　much　more。　
Tony　would　e　and　show　him　pleasant　things。　Sometimes　amazing　things。　Always　
good　things。　Once　Tony　showed　him　where　Daddy's　lost　trunk　was　。。。　under　the　
stairs。　Another　time　Tony　showed　him　that　Mommy　and　Daddy　were　going　to　take　him　
to　an　amusement　park　for　his　birthday　—　〃　
　　〃At　Great　Barrington！〃　Wendy　cried。　〃But　how　could　he　know　those　things？　It's　
eerie；　the　things　he　es　out　with　sometimes。　Almost　as　if　—　〃　
　　〃He　had　second　sight？〃　Edmonds　asked；　smiling。　
　　〃He　was　born　with　a　caul；〃　Wendy　said　weakly。　
　　Edmonds's　smile　became　a　good；　hearty　laugh。　Jack　and　Wendy　exchanged　a　glance　
and　then　also　smiled；　both　of　them　amazed　at　how　easy　it　was。　Danny's　occasional　
〃lucky　guesses〃　about　things　was　something　else　they　had　not　discussed　much。　
　　〃Next　you'll　be　telling　me　he　can　levitate；〃　Edmonds　said；　still　smiling。　〃No；　
no；　no；　I'm　afraid　not。　It's　not　extrasensory　but　good　old　human　perception；　
which　in　Danny's　case　is　unusually　keen。　Mr。　Torrance；　he　knew　your　trunk　was　
under　the　stairs　because　you　had　looked　everywhere　else。　Process　of　elimination；　
what？　It's　so　simple　Ellery　Queen　would　laugh　at　it。　Sooner　or　later　you　would　
have　thought　of　it　yourself。　
　　〃As　for　the　amusement　park　at　Great　Barrington；　whose　idea　was　that　
originally？　Yours　or　his？〃　
　　〃His；　of　course；〃　Wendy　said。　〃They　advertised　on　all　the　morning　children's　
programs。　He　was　wild　to　go。　But　the　thing　is；　Doctor；　we　couldn't　afford　to　
take　him。　And　we　had　told　him　so。〃　
　　〃Then　a　men's　magazine　I'd　sold　a　story　to　back　in　1971　sent　a　check　for　fifty　
dollars；〃　Jack　said。　〃They　were　reprinting　the　story　in　an　annual；　or　something。　
So　we　decided　to　spend　it　on　Danny。〃　
　　Edmonds　shrugged。　〃Wish　fulfillment　plus　a　lucky　coincidence。〃　


　
　
　　〃Goddammit；　I　bet　that's　just　right；〃　Jack　said。　
　　Edmonds　smiled　a　little。　〃And　Danny　himself　told　me　that　Tony　often　showed　him　
things　that　never　occurred。　Visions　based　on　faulty　perception；　that's　all。　
Danny　is　doing　subconsciously　what　these　so…called　mystics　and　mind　readers　do　
quite　consciously　and　cynically。　I　admire　him　for　it。　If　life　doesn't　cause　him　
to　retract　his　antennae；　I　think　he'll　be　quite　a　man。〃　
　　Wendy　nodded　—　of　course　she　thought　Danny　would　be　quite　a　man　—　but　the　
doctor's　explanation　struck　her　as　glib。　It　tasted　more　like　margarine　than　
butter。　Edmonds　had　not　lived　with　them。　He　had　not　been　there　when　Danny　found　
lost　buttons；　told　her　that　maybe　the　TV　Guide　was　under　the　bed；　that　he　
thought　he　better　wear　his　rubbers　to　nursery　school　even　though　the　sun　was　out　
。。。　and　later　that　day　they　had　walked　home　under　her　umbrella　through　the　
pouring　rain。　Edmonds　couldn't　know　of　the　curious　way　Danny　had　of　preguessing　
them　both。　She　would　decide　to　have　an　unusual　evening　cup　of　tea；　go　out　in　the　
kitchen　and　find　her　cup　out　with　a　tea　bag　in　it。　She　would　remember　that　the　
books　were　due　at　the　library　and　find　them　all　neatly　piled　up　on　the　hall　
table；　her　library　card　on　top。　Or　Jack　would　take　it　into　his　head　to　wax　the　
Volkswagen　and　find　Danny　already　out　there；　listening　to　tinny　top…forty　music　
on　his　crystal　radio　as　he　sat　on　the　curb　to　watch。　
　　Aloud　she　said；　〃Then　why　the　nightmares　now？　Why　did　Tony　tell　him　to　lock　
the　bathroom　door？〃　
　　〃I　believe　it's　because　Tony　has　outlived　his　usefulness；〃　Edmonds　said。　〃He　
was　born　—　Tony；　not　Danny　—　at　a　time　when　you　and　your　husband　were　straining　to　
keep　your　marriage　together。　Your　husband　was　drinking　too　much。　There　was　the　
incident　of　the　broken　arm。　The　ominous　quiet　between　you。〃　
　　Ominous　quiet；　yes；　that　phrase　was　the　real　thing；　anyway。　The　stiff；　tense　
meals　where　the　only　conversation　had　been　please　pass　the　butter　or　Danny；　eat　
the　rest　of　your　carrots　or　may　I　be　excused；　please。　The　nights　when　Jack　was　
gone　and　she　had　lain　down；　dry…eyed；　on　the　couch　while　Danny　watched　TV。　The　
mornings　when　she　and　Jack　had　stalked　around　each　other　like　two　angry　cats　
with　a　quivering；　frightened　mouse　between　them。　It　all　rang　true；　
　　（dear　God；　do　old　scars　ever　stop　hurting？）　
　　horribly；　horribly　true。　
　　Edmonds　resumed；　〃But　things　have　changed。　You　know；　schizoid　behavior　is　a　
pretty　mon　thing　in　children。　It's　accepted；　because　all　we　adults　have　this　
unspoken　agreement　that　children　are　lunatics。　They　have　invisible　friends。　They　
may　go　and　sit　in　the　closet　when　they're　depressed；　withdrawing　from　the　world。　
They　attach　talismanic　importance　to　a　special　blanket；　or　a　teddy　bear；　or　a　
stuffed　tiger。　They　suck　their　thumbs。　When　an　adult　sees　things　that　aren't　
there；　we　consider　him　ready　for　the　rubber　room。　When　a　child　says　he's　seen　a　
troll　in　his　bedroom　or　a　vampire　outside　the　window；　we　simply　smile　
indulgently。　We　have　a　one…sentence　explanation　that　explains　the　whole　range　of　
such　phenomena　in　children　—　〃　
　　〃He'll　grow　out　of　it；〃　Jack　said。　
　　Edmonds　blinked。　〃My　very　words；〃　he　said。　〃Yes。　Now　I　would　guess　that　Danny　
was　in　a　pretty　good　position　to　develop　a　full…fledged　psychosis。　Unhappy　home　
life；　a　big　imagination；　the　invisible　friend　who　was　so　real　to　him　that　he　
nearly　became　real　to　you。　Instead　of　‘growing　out　of'　his　childhood　


　
　
schizophrenia；　he　might　well　have　grown　into　it。〃　
　　〃And　bee　autistic？〃　Wendy　asked。　She　had　read　about　autism。　The　word　itself　
frightened　her；　it　sounded　like　dread　and　white　silence。　
　　〃Possible　but　not　necessarily。　He　might　simply　have　entered　Tony's　world　
someday　and　never　e　back　to　what　he　calls　‘real　things。'　〃　
　　〃God；〃　Jack　said。　
　　〃But　now　the　basic　situation　has　changed　drastically。　Mr。　Torrance　no　longer　
drinks。　You　are　in　a　new　place　where　conditions　have　forced　the　three　of　you　
into　a　tighter　family　unit　than　ever　before　—　certainly　tighter　than　my　own；　
where　my　wife　and　kids　may　see　me　for　only　two　or　three　hours　a　day。　To　my　mind；　
he　is　in　the　perfect　healing　situation。　And　I　think