Getting to Know Steve
- Submitted by: kennedydc
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- Category: English: Creative Writing
- Date Submitted: 10/24/2011 03:19 PM
- Pages: 4
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Getting To Know Steve
As I was beginning my third term here at Southwestern, being in my late fifties, I was as old or older than most of the instructors. Most of the students were just out of high school or a bit older. Soon I felt like a father going to school with his kids, and very nervous about going back to school after forty years. It was in Psychology 203 that I read about Dissociative Identity Disorders as one of the topics we were studying. Dissociative Identity Disorder is defined as a person having multiple personalities. It was also in my third term I had the opportunity to meet Steve, who has this disorder.
I usually sat on the picnic bench in front of Randolph Hall; there I could see most of the main campus. I could see the students walking from the front of campus towards Tioga Hall and beyond, thinking to myself; they’re going to be late. One student stood out from the normal crowd wearing a pair of blue jeans and a black leather jacket with some writing, pictures and silver bars on it. What caught my eye was his long hair that was below his shoulders, dark in color with the last six inches or so dyed red. Since my hair is also long, maybe that’s what drew him to me.
We would sit and talk for a while between classes and soon became friends. It was shortly afterwards I felt and started seeing a change in Steve. It seemed he was troubled and a little moody about something. When I asked him if he was alright, he said “I have Dissociative Identity Disorder.” I wasn’t alarmed or judgmental since that was one of the topics we learned about in Psychology 203 class. Having D.I.D. means the person has more than one personality that will emerge. Sometimes the personalities conflicted, and Steve discussed his D.I.D. and some of his different personalities.
I found Steve to be a fascinating and interesting student, but it was a shock and an experience on one occasion that instead of talking to Steve, I found I was talking to Steven. Steven...
As I was beginning my third term here at Southwestern, being in my late fifties, I was as old or older than most of the instructors. Most of the students were just out of high school or a bit older. Soon I felt like a father going to school with his kids, and very nervous about going back to school after forty years. It was in Psychology 203 that I read about Dissociative Identity Disorders as one of the topics we were studying. Dissociative Identity Disorder is defined as a person having multiple personalities. It was also in my third term I had the opportunity to meet Steve, who has this disorder.
I usually sat on the picnic bench in front of Randolph Hall; there I could see most of the main campus. I could see the students walking from the front of campus towards Tioga Hall and beyond, thinking to myself; they’re going to be late. One student stood out from the normal crowd wearing a pair of blue jeans and a black leather jacket with some writing, pictures and silver bars on it. What caught my eye was his long hair that was below his shoulders, dark in color with the last six inches or so dyed red. Since my hair is also long, maybe that’s what drew him to me.
We would sit and talk for a while between classes and soon became friends. It was shortly afterwards I felt and started seeing a change in Steve. It seemed he was troubled and a little moody about something. When I asked him if he was alright, he said “I have Dissociative Identity Disorder.” I wasn’t alarmed or judgmental since that was one of the topics we learned about in Psychology 203 class. Having D.I.D. means the person has more than one personality that will emerge. Sometimes the personalities conflicted, and Steve discussed his D.I.D. and some of his different personalities.
I found Steve to be a fascinating and interesting student, but it was a shock and an experience on one occasion that instead of talking to Steve, I found I was talking to Steven. Steven...