The Essence of Nathan Biddle

by J. William Lewis

After that, my mind continued to clench on the image of the old man wearing the barber’s pan on his head and thinking it was a golden helmet. At first, I thought it was ludicrous and then I thought it was sad. I was thinking that normal people seem to see things pretty clearly. Then it occurred to me that about half the time I don’t know whether I understand what I’m seeing or not. I was wondering if everybody is as confused as I am, if maybe I have a pan on my head and just don’t know it.

“Who am I?” and a booming voice answers, “Who wants to know?”

“People are attracted to one another,” Dr. Gross interjected, “because of perceptions at the time: special gifts, perceived benefits, the satisfaction of needs in the association. In that sense, we are all meeting the needs or failing to meet the needs of others. When needs cease to be met as expected, the attractions begin to disappear, and repulsions replace them. If that’s being used by someone, then we’re all tools in one way or another to those in our milieu.”