Epilogue

David Murrow, Ph.D., Ed.D.

I have asked John and Emily to comment on some of the events which took place after they turned in their journals. But there are some things I should probably address.

John and his parents signed the release for the Health and Human Sexuality video, but it became a moot point. Bertha Conway refused to do so, and Susan was largely silent on the matter.

Peter "Perry" Mason apparently enjoyed his second week in the Program. For the rest of the school year, he would sometimes pop up naked at school, the nearby mall, or other places. I would classify him as a Program success. One other thing of note: he did not ask Ms. Lesmeister to help with his Relief during his second week.

Susan Conway showed up on the following Monday with her hair in rather distinctive style, significantly shorter than before. Her shoulder was well on its way to being healed. By Wednesday, it was neither sensitive nor discolored. Her behavior was another matter, but not really appropriate for inclusion in these journals.

In the weeks after their time in the Program, John and Emily behaved in ways which were uncommon among Program alumni. They tended to overdress, compared to their pre Program habits. They went back to their stepped up "practical invisibility", even though they were fully clothed. They became, if anything, less social than they had been before their Program week, with the single exception of their new friendship (and in John's case, maybe something more?) with Bridget Donnache.

Their negative response to their Program experience caused a crisis of confidence in at least two of the more ardent Program supporters among our faculty. Ms. Prothrow, in particular, complained that it tore her up inside to watch John's reactions in her class, during and after that week. Many of their other teachers expressed distress at their reaction, as well. They commented that they seemed more withdrawn both in class and outside the classroom, and more socially disconnected and shy than they had been before the Program week. Whereas before that week, they would often seem engaged in a class (even if active participation seemed out of the question), after the week they were never seen in that state.

A few of the students, especially those who had acted on Vice Principal Ackerman's request and approached one or both for Reasonable Requests, ended up seeing the counselor for their own bad feelings about the changes in John and Emily.

Directly, at least, I would count the two of them as significant Program failures. Not that they failed the Program. The Program failed them.

Indirectly, it may have helped them get help. We spoke with their parents about our observations and concerns, and they agreed with us from their own observations. As a result, they have gotten therapeutic help, which seems to be showing some positive results.

Ironically, they came in second in the Participant of The Year competition. I seriously doubt that the efforts we made to boost their chances could have gotten them into first. The girl who won was an energetic activist, organizing community outreach programs, Program themed campaigns, and a variety of other things. By the time of the voting (at the end of the school year), she was very well known nationally, and moderately well known internationally.

We didn't have a chance.

But second was good. And the pictures and descriptions we sent in probably helped make the difference between second and third. Luckily, the competition is about public image rather than reality. These journals played no part in the judging.

It reflected very well on the school, and they got a nice trip and a lot of prizes (which I'll let them tell you about), and some more publicity for their act and company.

I will let Emily comment on the fates of her two sets of attackers, other than to say that the "finger gang" boys had their expulsions reduced to 30 day suspensions, plus probation. The School Board took their other punishments into account, as well as the request of the victim.

We have made several changes to Program Committee procedures and policies, as a result of the events and suggestions of that week. In addition to the tightened conflict of interest rules, we have changed the selection process somewhat. All members of the Committee are present when the initial list is printed out, and each must sign the page. Also, the Committee gets a list of competitions and events that the Program might effect that week, and (where practical) lists of students involved in each. Certain kinds of activities qualify the students for a one week deferral, and others do not. There is now a delay between the time a requested exemption is turned down and the time the student can be Selected. The time runs from when that student's parents have verifiably received notification of the refusal. There is also an appeal process that stops the clock on the process, if started within that delay period. The decisions on the exemptions must be logged into the system, along with the dates and times of delivery confirmations.

We are confident that some of the specific problems we identified have been eliminated. That won't stop other things from going wrong, but that is life.

JOHN

It is the beginning of my junior year, and I have been asked to comment about a few things.

The talent show was a great success. And not just for us. The irish group (who have asked me not to mention their group name in the journal) impressed Bridget's father and his associates at the Consulate so much that they got some gigs at Consulate sponsored events. Perry got some tv appearances, and (like us) some Program related appearances.

It was gratifying to see that my designs and my alter ego's performance (and those of Emily and her alter ego) came together to produce such a good result. But some people who should know better, like our parents, actually seemed surprised that the successes of our Magicians didn't somehow transform us.

I found out that all the debate and discomfort we went through at my house before deciding to sign the release form for the HHS video was wasted. Susan and her mother wouldn't sign. Mom thinks Mrs. Conway was just being spiteful, in response to losing her Committee and PTO posts.

Over the next few weeks, I became aware that I was pretty much stuck in the pattern I had lived during my Program week. I was pretty much in my safe place 24/7, even at home. I used the OBL to get from class to class. I avoided individual attention. I no longer slept naked or casually walked to my room after a shower. I avoided unnecessary social contact with most people. That last part was especially difficult the week after the show, since many of my fellow inmates mistook me for my Magician, and tried to interact accordingly.

My sex drive pretty much stayed low. I masturbated maybe once or twice a week, and my fantasies always involved me being clothed (and usually my partner being naked or close to it). Before the week, it was more like 10 times a week, and fantasies that often included me being naked.