Influences from the Being’s Inner Domain Book 3: Influences in the Later Quadrants of Life’s Circle

By Racq Thah

This is the third book in the series of Influences from the Inner Domain. All three books tell a story of the often-overlooked component of every being: their spirit domain, and why it is such a necessary component of all beings. The spirit domain is important for many reasons. It keeps us centered and on track through our journey around life’s circular path. It orchestrates and coordinates the internal workings, communications, and for most of the existence of beings was the primary influence to the mind component. It provided the mind with materials from its stores of knowledge and experience to influence and guide it, since the beginning of time. Unlike the other components of a being, spirits never die. They are reassigned to a newborn, retaining all they have gathered through time to support past, present, and future beings. Spirits, from their domain, also influenced motion and movement from the being’s physical component. This gave the being fuller flexibility, dexterity, and movement capabilities. Most important of all, it’s in the spirit domain that life itself for each being is centered and originates. This last book in the series tells of how the spirit domain’s influence diminishes over time and of the other internal components and influence becoming the more dominant drivers. It tells how the cost of this loss is great. As depicted in this third book the spirit domain continues to strive to contribute to the being’s existence, but is much hampered through the fourth and final quadrant of life’s circle to retain some contribution and an identity in determining who we are, how we act, and why we behave the way we do.

There is still goodness and evil in this part of the stories, but more subtle from the spirits and their domains, and stronger from other influences from the being’s inner domain. The magic and mystical begins to dissipate. The beings and the civilization prepare for the closing of life’ circle. New ones will soon begin and follow.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669839330

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Copyright © 2022 by Racq Thah.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 06/14/2023

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Contents

Destinies II

Superficial

The Old Herd Moves to Other Pasture

Dilution to Subtle and Sameness

Mind Dominance

Natural versus Unnatural

Evolutionary Transformations

Summation

Book Summary

About the Author

Destinies II

More on Destinies

The impacts of the destinies assigned to the spirits residing in the domains of beings either add to the overall spirit stores of history, experience and knowledge or they are felt by their omissions and failures. All are impactful and important. The following is a compilation of some of the additional destinies that contribute to the spirit stores within the domains of persons in these stories.

Louise Baker was destined to become a healer. She would grow to be a good woman and not to forget the origin or her past. She would come back to the community where she grew up, but now with a family of her own. She would set up a medical practice on the street adjacent to the one she grew up on. Among her many patients would be her Parents. She would treat them for their ills and ailments, now being older, and still the greatest influence in her life. They were that, even more so than the teacher that helped her so much as a teen. Her daughter would now attend the school that Louise had attended as a girl. She would be assigned to a class taught by a very special teacher. This teacher’s name was Sherry Cower, Louise’s daughter, and all that were in her class, as well as those that attended West Chester would be strengthened and encouraged by Sherry’s pure good-natured domain. This would remind Louise, the girl’s mother, of another special Teacher from her past, Becky Turner McDouglas. Just as it had been for Louise, her daughter now was taking her place in the same classroom of a very special teacher.

Sherry Cower, was providing Louise’s daughter with the same goodness and magic that Louise remembered receiving as a young girl from Becky Turner McDouglas. It was good to think back of Becky as a role model. Sherry Cower seemed a mirror image of her goodness and purity. She would strengthen their natures and help her students achieve their destinies, as Becky had done for Louise.

Louise would now pass back a portion of this goodness to the community through her actions and professional skill. She would include that which she learned from Becky and her parents through all of the interactions with her patients and encounters with others of the community. It was primarily of basic goodness and strenght coming from doing what was right and just. On many occasions she would volunteer or visit the school to help where she could. She would tell stories of the days when she was younger and how a special teacher helped her form her confidences and her future. Earlier, it was her destiny to have taken a measure of goodness from this community, and now it was her time to give some of it back. It was her purpose in this lifetime. Her profession put her directly in the forefront to deal with evils and the goodness of the neighborhood. She was destined to help.

Dawn Baldridge’s set of destinies was unique. They involved acting in the accompaniment of two pure and opposing domains, supporting then hindering their destinies at various times. She was to be an instrument of their choosing. Her evil-natured destiny was to provide a pretty face and special appeal to help Mr. Arthur attract evil from male targets. One case in particular involved helping him deceive Tom McDouglas. In turn, it would test and temporarily damage his relationship with Becky. This action was to make the point with Becky that she, and those dear to her had strong and pure evil influences to contend with, even affecting those areas, and those people, she felt to be safe and secured by her counter influence and the power of her pure domain. Dawn’s destiny was to work through Mr. Arthur’s power over her to create evil and pain enough to test even the strongest adversary. She was to be the tool to challenge Becky, and the soul-mate bond she had with Tom, this bond and others that added to Becky’s strength. Dawn’s involvement was to perform an impactful blow, but in the end, it was not enough. It did not destroy the soul mate bond between Becky and Tom, even as the attempt was fueled by the purest of evil. Instead, this destiny wound up only strengthening their bond. Surviving the pain of broken confidences and mistakes in those in love can, with time, also make the good- natured ones stronger. Becky and Tom were both destined to be the instruments of these tests. On the other hand, the destiny of Dawn’s good-natured spirits was to provide Becky with instance to help her temper her goodness through the most severe emotional tests. Dawn’s destiny was to provide the trial in Becky and Tom’s relationship that would give them opportunity to withstand evil’s most potent attack. Withstanding would only make them stronger and anchored in the power of their love. Dawn’s destiny was to validate Becky and Tom’s relationship.

This was not the only destiny of Dawn’s good-natured spirits. There was also a destiny to work with Becky against Mr. Arthur, to expose his evil tactics and tendencies that she’d been exposed through her dealings with him. This, in turn, triggered numerous challenges testing the strength of Mr. Arthur’s power and nature. It pitted an advantaged Becky Turner McDouglas against Mr. Arthur. The effect, for the most part, was a stalemate. If Becky was successful in using Dawn’s destined help, Mr. Arthur would be weakened. If not, it would only make him stronger. It was a dangerous game of alliances linked through Dawn’s destiny’s effect on both natures.

Dawn was destined to be a constant catalyst intended to bring about the showdowns between Becky and Mr. Arthur. She was a lynchpin to both of their confrontations and growth in their nature’s take and measures. The different natures within her domain played each role required, sometimes simultaneously, and serving the reciprocating allegiances to support traps and tests between the two powerful and pure domains.

Dawn’s set of destinies was most unique in that they constantly positioned her, quite dangerously, between the two pure and powerful opposing domains. This placed Dawn in the direct crossfire from both camps. It left her constantly exposed and in danger of the wrath that could be rendered upon her by either of her two masters. She was destined with a most difficult mission and purpose. Achieving them limited her chances of obscurity and longevity. Her destiny was that of a pawn played by two masters, one on either side of the game board. Knowing that a spirit holds its destinies as dear, Dawn’s domain was driven to achieve her destinies at all cost. It was her purpose in this lifetime. She was special in the overall scheme of nature’s plans.

Becky Turner McDouglas’ sister Ella’s destiny involved the child that she abandoned earlier in her life. Her name was Sherry Cower. Sherry would pursue a teaching job at West Crawford High and continue Becky’s good works. Sherry would be instrumental to neutralize the evil of Brenda Doran. She would help many from the school and the community. As evil as Brenda was, Sherry would keep much of Brenda’s evil to levels less potent than Mr. Arthur’s honed version.

Susie Jamison eventually left home and worked her way through college to become a nurse. She served part-time as a nurse for West Crawford High. She shared memories and stories of a special past teacher at the school, Becky Turner McDouglas. She saw much of Becky in Sherry Cower, Ella’s daughter. One of her destinies was to keep Becky’s legacy alive, to help and encourage Sherry’s good contributions. She shared how Becky had befriended her as a little girl and helped her, even to be a flower girl at her wedding. She shared several pictures taken after the wedding of herself as a seven-year-old, and of Becky. Her destiny was to support Sherry. All destinies are intertwined in ways designed around nature’s master plans.

Anita Grey’s most significant destinies were to present themselves in the later frames of her relationship with Becky, in the epilogue of Mr. Arthur and Becky’s confrontations and clashes. Her destiny was to achieve a measure of retribution in the aftermath. She was to help ensure a measure of payment on behalf of good influences of the Earth. Interestingly enough, it would be her evil nature that would own and initiate this destiny.

Her destiny was also to find her soul mate, but not to find comfort or benefit from the power and goodness of binding soul-mate love. She would forego her opportunity with Peter Brennan and not pursue that which would have resulted in a painful situation, divorce from his current wife and family. And even though her evil nature’s destiny was to pursue the affair and its on again, off again relationship resulting from the contending destinies within Anita’s domain spirits for Peter’s love, another lifetime would pass her by without the fulfillment of a perfect soul-mate relationship. It was as if she were cursed. It was especially difficult this time around. It was a difficult destiny to be dealt. It was her good-natured spirits that would be the owners of her destiny’s actions. Her good-natured spirit’s destiny was to give into her conscience and feel the sacrifice and pain of freely sacrificing love for good. It was a destined act of sacrifice.

This destiny would bring Anita heartbreak and despair. It was the serious pain brought on when it is realized that a destined perfect love cannot or will not be achieved. It is the crushing reaction from the inside of the being, from the domain, more so than the heart. Her evil-natured spirit destiny wasn’t so much about love but was willing to allow the loving relationship as cost to test the good nature’s conscience; to test the strength of a good-natured conscience. All of Anita’s spirits’ destinies, both good and evil, were hinged upon this instance of soul mate matching; thus, the evil nature was supportive of establishing the relationship with Peter. It opened the door for Anita to have a temporary forbidden courtship with Peter. It ultimately served her evil spirit and gained her a reputation and loathing of Peter’s wife and daughter. It was not her fault but was her destiny.

Much more important than Anita’ destiny to again lose at love, she was destined to be the messenger from Becky to Sherry. She was to cross paths with Sherry one day when Anita dropped her son off at school. Her son’s name was Eric. Eric was the surprise product of Anita’s soul-mate love encounter with Peter. Anita discovered that she was pregnant with Peter’s child weeks after his death. She kept the secret of who Eric’s father was from everyone. The child was a special gift to her. Unlike the child that Becky had made a special request of Anita to be guardian over, the one that would die within Becky’s womb from the accident. This child was her child and was also a unique and very special one.

In her destiny’s role as a messenger for Becky, Anita was to give Sherry all the details of Becky’s encounters with Mr. Arthur, both those planted within her domain by Becky for Sherry to discover and unlock through transfers, and those in which she’d share with Anita, personally. She would also share of his accomplice and protégé Brenda Doran. With this information, Sherry would know the history and origin of Brenda’s strength and training. She would learn the vulnerabilities that Becky had discovered in both Brenda and Mr. Arthur. The faults of the teacher are many times the faults of the student. As teachers themselves, Sherry and Becky knew this to be true only too well. It was a professional hazard.

Saul Montgomery’s destiny was to be Sherry Cower’s partner and soul mate.

Another of his significant destinies was to guide Sherry to a key for the file that Becky left in her classroom’s storage closet. Becky had left it with Saul earlier and instructed him to place it in the file cabinet.

Another of Saul’s destinies was to participate in the arrest of Brenda Doran. He was destined to befriend a man named Earl Black. Earl was a substitute teacher in the district and had common experiences in war like Saul. He was not a hero, nor had he ever killed anyone in battle, but the memories from the battles haunted him. He sought out the friendship of Saul as one he could talk to about these things.

Earl Black unknowingly took the apartment left vacant after the death of Dewayne Burkes. Dewayne was an undercover FBI agent planted to gather evidence against Mr. Arthur and his network. The people that Dewayne was to infiltrate frightened him. In fact, he became quite paranoid. Dewayne had placed a number of surveillance cameras at various points within the apartment, usually hidden within light fixtures and air vents. Earl, one day, became aware of one of these while cleaning a vent. He took the surveillance video to a local vendor to have it converted to run on his VCR. He was quite surprised by what he found on the tape. It was the video of Brenda Doran killing Dewayne Burkes over an apparent missed drug payment. Earl was now quite concerned with what he’d gotten himself involved in. He knew the implications of what he had in his possession. He had to do what he could to protect the tape. His life was potentially now in danger. He was quite aware of Brenda Doran’s reputation in the community. He was afraid that word would get back to her that the tape existed and that he was the possessor. The next day, Earl was substituting at West Chester High School. He had a friend that taught physical education class at the school. He would ask him to hold the tape.

Earl gave a copy of the tape to Saul, his friend, as his insurance in case anything should happen to him. In the meantime, he also sent a copy to the FBI with an explanation of how he found the camera and that Saul Montgomery, his friend, held another copy. Earl mysteriously met with a fatal end. He was the victim of an accident outside Millborough. He apparently fell asleep at the wheel of his car and missed a turn on a winding road. He was found dead at the scene. Although suspicious, there was no solid evidence of any foul play.

Days later, several FBI agents knocked on Saul’s door to talk to him about Earl’s letter. They inquired about the tape that incriminated Brenda Doran. Saul knew he had the tape but knew nothing of what was on it. Within a day, a pair of FBI agents showed at Brenda’s front door and arrested her.

Madame Extrovia’s destiny was to be the clairvoyant to the line of pure good nature domains in Westchester. The fates of Becky Turner McDouglas and Sherry Cower were revealed to them though her special abilities. Madame Extrovia never knew the content but knew that they were related and she had served the good-natured through these two acts. It was her destiny.

Madame Extrovia lay in the background of Sherry Cower’s life, often in the shadows and out of sight. There were rumors of the mysterious woman that would occasionally be seen in the vicinity of West Chester High. No one knew much about her. When approached, she would disappear. In reality, it was Madame Extrovia looking for the opportunity to approach Sherry alone. She was pursuing Sherry to reveal her destiny to her. Every weaker pure domain must search for a mentorship with a strong and pure domain. Madame Extrovia sought out Sherry Cower. Her mentorship was from afar and poorly concealed on occasion but, in accordance with weaker pure domain needs, done as destined to be. Sherry didn’t understand the mystery of Madame Extrovia’s ways, but accepted the shadow that followed her. With time, Madame Extrovia would grow from the ways of her stronger pure-domain mentor. Soon, she would morph into a strong good-nature empowered and independent pure domain. It was with certainty that this would occur.

Sherry sensed the loss of Madame Extrovia’s presence in her life. She felt abandoned. She called on her clairvoyant one last time for direction regarding her future, and reading. She called the reliable Madame at the number that she had given her. Instead of the usual mystical smoke-and-mirrors reappearance, Madame Extrovia made an appointment, giving Sherry a time and place to meet her. It was quite unexpected to Sherry. The odd ways that had seemed the norm with Madame Extrovia weren’t there. The differences seemed uncomfortable. Sherry didn’t know what to think about it. The place set for the meeting was the address of a nearby nursing home. What she found when they met was that one very significant destiny of Madame Extrovia’s was now fulfilled. It answered most of Sherry’s questions and concerns with how different she had been acting. She had become a strong pure domain and, with this transformation, had lost her clairvoyant powers. She was not able to reveal for Sherry her direction or future but was able to share her hope, goodness, and happiness to have developed into an equal partner, as was Sherry, in supporting those of her virtue and purpose. Extrovia had abandoned her gypsy attire and ways. What was once flamboyant and seemingly odd behavior now turned more conservative. She was volunteering at the nursing home. She wore a conservative black skirt and white blouse. There was no makeup; only a trace of pale lipstick could be detected. There was no jewelry, nothing shielding her gray-streaked auburn hair from flowing around her head. The black dye of her hair and eyebrows was gone. She wore nylons and slip-on shoes. She actually looked much younger and far more attractive than she had as the mysterious Madame Extrovia. She introduced herself to Sherry as Mildred Finleye. Sherry smiled and understood. She didn’t know if this was her real name or not. It didn’t matter. It did fit Mildred’s new life. It made her smile as she recalled her old friend Madame Extrovia, and now the first glimpse of her new friend Mildred Finleye. It was now her turn to leave a card with a number to call should Mildred ever need her assistance. After all, it continued to be Sherry’s destiny to mentor her protégé. Sherry would need to find another for her readings of her future direction.

Mr. Arthur sat in a jail cell, arrested for reckless operation of a motor vehicle. Charges of vehicular manslaughter were being reviewed. He had been intoxicated and under the influence of many drugs. He all but admitted to planning the accident with the intent to kill the victims. It was admission from his intoxicated state, but truth all the same. Those at the station still loyal to Mr. Arthur and on Bill Thatcher’s payroll were doing their best to have Mr. Arthur’s statements nullified until taken under better pretenses. Those in the station not paid by Mr. Thatcher were looking for retribution for the victims; especially outspoken was Anita Grey. She would not allow the truth to go unnoticed and minimized in the legal technicalities. It was a circus, much like under the big top. A number of different acts were playing out simultaneously within each of the stages. The one least noticed was the one in Mr. Arthur’s cell. He was placed alone in the farthest cell. He was also now deteriorating from HIV. He found out that he was nearing the later stages of the incurable infection. He had no reason to live through the upcoming and most uncomfortable stages of his torture. He actually wished it had been him too that died in the crash. It was as he’d planned it, but the poisons protected him. His destiny and his purpose were now served. He’d killed Becky, Tom, and the baby within Becky. Although he had won most of his battles in life, the ones he’d lost were now evident and weighing on him. He had no more purpose. Between the HIV/AIDS and his current situation, he was a beaten man.

Brenda Doran came to the station to see Mr. Arthur in his cell. The jailer allowed her a visitation. She made eye contact and was very surprised to realize that she could initiate transfer to his domain. He’d become weakened, weaker than Brenda. She was now the stronger domain, was now the mentor. The torch had officially been passed between them. She took advantage and remained transferred to him. Through Mr. Arthur’s domain, she was able to see her future. The tables of the past had turned. Mr. Arthur had now become her clairvoyant. It was made clear that she was the true heir apparent, that the transfer of power was now fully complete. Mr. Arthur would be leaving her soon. Before he left, all that was left to finalize was the transfer of knowledge and histories from Mr. Arthur’s domain stores to hers. There would be little time to complete this. It would finalize his last purpose in this being and thus free him of his current plagued existence. Both he and Brenda had completed significant destinies.

Roni Talbert’s significant destiny was to clean up her life supported by Becky’s calling on a guardian spirit to help and protect her. It represented a clear example of good winning out over evil. It was a part of Becky’s destiny that justified her calling on a guardian spirit to free Roni from Brenda Doran’s influences, and the addiction to her poisonous indulgences.

Eric Moore was destined to be Sherry Cower-Montgomery’s successor as the next dominant pure good-natured domain in the neighborhood. In the immediacy, however, his destiny was to learn from Sherry. He would take the place of Madame Extrovia as the weaker pure domain that would provide Sherry with clairvoyance and vision to see Sherry’s future and the direction that her destinies would take her. There was much trust and confidence that developed between them.

Lee Ann’s and Eileen Fulton’s destiny was to raise Dick’s daughter, Elise, to be the heir apparent to Lee Ann’s evil influences and jurisdiction. She was also of a pure-evil domain. She would be taught in the way of the pure-evil domain.

Helen Baldridge was to continue to be a true gift to her community. She would transform much goodness from the acts of evil that she’d been forced to endure. She would make significant differences in many people’s lives, helping them with their problems and demons. She would weaken the powerful hold of Mr. Arthur on the city and her community. She would be the example of strength and sacrifice. She would be an example of shining goodness for Becky Turner McDouglas. She would help Linda Mither, and others like Linda, escape the wraith of Mr. Arthur and help them start a new life.

Superficial

Superficial is primarily that which is not influenced or not derived from the spirit. It is the space that the physical component heavily resides, both when influenced and directed by the mind component and when not. Of its products is the involuntary, that from the physical alone, and the voluntary, which engages the mind with the physical. Superficial exhibits itself from the external as the being’s external self. It is an indicator of evolution and transformation’s transfer of control and dominance from the spiritual forces to the mind and physical ones. It is a prevalent and common state of the being through the late third and fourth quadrants of the circle of life.

The physical component of the being was always the furthest removed from the spirit’s direct influence. Most of its actions are either initiated by an external impulse or influence, or coming from the mind, but not in every case. A portion is involuntary and initiated by a source outside the being’s control. Just as the mind component can isolate itself from the spirit, the physical component can do the same, isolate itself from the mind, to a lesser extent. Because the physical component has no engine, no controlling center, actions initiated in isolation from the mind’s influence are organ- and system-specific. They are impulses driven by hormones, enzymes and electrical charges acting upon one another to create a physical reaction. Even then, the reaction is still dependent on the mind to interpret it, to sustain it if desired, or to stop and/or control it. Involuntary actions are unsupported and inverse to the normal flow of internal communication and influence. Still these actions and experiences create a permanent record for the domain stores. Every action has an equal voluntary or involuntary reaction. This is physical science. There is always a response from either the mind or the spirit to the physical reaction. With the mind component’s contribution added to the mix, the reciprocating reaction is thus a voluntary and supported action. Chemical and electrical can supersede the mental for an initial period, though. Actions are therefore not always thought through or centered from knowledge and history. Sexual attraction is a prime example of an involuntary physical action. On the other hand, taking the attraction to a relationship level is not involuntary. Relationships require a partnership between physical, spiritual, and mental; the physical’s chemical reactions to favorable physical shape and form must be combined with the mental’s interpretations and assessment weighed against its preferences, standards and the spirit’s overall test for compatibility, all these to initiate commands for action so that it can achieve from this physical favor. After determining compatibility, it is the mind’s play on the physical. It is a controlling dependence into its dominance. The physical without the mind’s interpretations is abstract. Mental adds dimension, context, and reason to both involuntary and voluntary actions of the physical being. In the times on the circle of life when the superficial is held in highest regard, the spirit is generally relegated to reside mostly in the background. In these cases, the spirit’s days of greatest influence are past and replaced by dilution and mind dominance. Mind dominance will be addressed in greater detail in a later chapter.

Appearances are of the mind’s interpretation. Many times, these interpretations, when not validated by the spirits, can be quite inaccurate. Either dilution or mind isolation can add significant distortion to a being’s impressions of another, or how they might appear compared to their real self. Minds are masters of distortion, especially as they project the superficial images to others. It becomes the mind and body working together to paint the picture. In many cases, it’s a distortion on reality; it might be a facade. It’s trickery through a mind’s design.

Ken was asked by his minister to assume the responsibilities as the education and activities director for his church. It was a position of visibility and prestige within the church family. Ken was seen by many of the church as a good, outgoing, and energetic man. He had volunteered to participate in church programs many times before, although this would be one where he was delegated with far more authority and responsibility. From a superficial perspective, it appeared that Ken was a good choice. And although he’d never drawn attention to himself as less than capable, he’d never been tested or placed in a position to stand alone and to make decisions. On the surface, though, a case could be easily made that it was time. His first assignment was to coordinate the year’s vacation Bible school. It was a high-profile program for the church. It would be the beginning of Ken’s problems.

In the past, Ken had always placed himself in positions and on assignments posing little challenge, handpicking the children and the situations he would take on to assure that he knew the level of resistance and difficulty he should expect from each. His power and abilities in his new position were all untested and initially decided on the superficial only. He was responsible for all the children, all the volunteers, and all the problems and situations they might pose. It was no longer a controlled scope and span of his choosing and control.

Kay was a new member of the church. She’d moved to the community just a few months before the start of the Bible school. She was a transplant, along with her husband from another state. She was anxious to meet new people and get involved in her new church as a volunteer. When she noted that helpers were needed for the vacation Bible school program and noted that it would begin in three weeks, she offered herself up to help. Ken met her at the church office and was only too happy to add her to the list of volunteers for the event. He was especially pleased to see that Kay had experience as a teacher’s aide from her previous community. This he thought would work well to his and the program’s advantage. He stored this tidbit in the back of his mind for future use.

Kay attended training for the volunteers and was assigned as a group leader for the vacation Bible school. Six children ranging in age from six to ten were selected into the group. Kay was excited to receive the six names and began to study the materials and crafts. She began to prepare for the upcoming sessions. To Kay, the first impressions of the situation seemed comfortable and a good fit for her. Although there was little known or to do at this point, Kay felt welcomed and supported. Ken seemed pleasant and said many of the right things to get the group motivated.

Previously, Ken reviewed the list of children signed up for the Bible school. As he came across the name of Phillip Johnson, he snickered and said under his breath, God help the person that gets Phillip. He is an impossible child to handle. He put Phillip’s card to the side, as he had done with several other children that he knew might present challenges to their volunteers. After he was finished, his intuition told him that he needed to assign the problem children to the tested and battle-seasoned volunteers, preferably those that would know what to expect from past experiences with these few, especially with the case of Phillip Johnson. Yet at the training session, several had stopped him and asked if Phillip, and a few others, were attending this year. Each specifically asked not to have Phillip assigned to their group. It was implied that if he was assigned to them, it might be their last year to volunteer. Volunteers were already hard to come by.

It became clear to Ken that hard choices came with the new assignment and that he could not avoid responsibility for these challenges to the program. As was his true nature, it occurred to him to transfer and deflect exposure and the effect of the problems on those easily sacrificed. He didn’t know the newer volunteers very well. They didn’t seem a threat to his stature or position. Surely no one would blame him if he didn’t provide one of the new volunteers with a warning, nor would anyone pay much attention if he failed to provide critical feedback and advice. Ken remembered Kay and her background. If anyone might have a chance at controlling Phillip, maybe she did. He gave it no second thought. He showed no empathy toward the thoughts of what a shock it might be to this unsuspecting volunteer, or of how horrendous the assignment he was about to give her would most likely turn out. He gave her no or warning, no choice in accepting. He assigned Phillip and two other problem children to her group. The remaining problem children were parceled out one each to three other groups.