Under Pressure

"Hi Doc. How are you today?"
"I'm fine thank you, Marvin. Why dont you take a seat?"
"Doc, you know why I am here, right?"
"You need someone to talk to. You like talking, and share your thoughts, feelings"
"Doc, you know it all. Today, I want to ask you about intelligence. What is intelligence?"
After a moment's pause.
"It is the ability to think of a suitable answer to this question" smiled Doc.
"Okay...I mean...does it boil down to the fact that we have the ability to think and make decisions? Is that intelligence? I think it is."
"Hmm..good point. Okay, what else do you think?"
"Umm...I was thinking,..well, do ghosts have intelligence. This is assuming that ghosts exist. Ghosts apparently can pass through walls, are see-through. Atleast, thats what we think we know. So, if they are all that, I dont think they can have brains,...so how can they think? I mean, you are a ghost, a ghost has to think sometime or the other, rite? So, if he is dead, and no blood flowing through, no feelings, no senses....hence no brain. Then, how the hell can ghosts think?"

"Interesting...I am sure researchers are working on this, I recently spoke to one of my..."
Marvin cut in.
"It's just an observation. You think I am mad anyway, but I am trying to think here, doc."
"Okay, okay. How was breakfast? Old Jim giving you any trouble?"
"Naah, that ass can go and f... kiss some roses. Ha! That old humbug, he cant live alone in his shanty ..so he comes up and stays here with us. He just wants us to see us suffer from his food. Anyway, breakfast was fine. Some crap and some other crap. And then I washed it all down my gullet with some coca crap. I then went and took a nap, and then went for a crap. Hehe hee, I love rhyming words, they are great. Do you like poetry doc?"

"No Marvin, I don't do poetry, I listen to some music though. Do you want to listen to some now?"
" Nope, doc."
" How are studies going? Project alright? Do you like what you are doing?"
" Kind of. The project takes up so much of time that I don't study. None of the professors want to see me. Its funny. I send emails, I have even spoken to the Principal, but what can I do? If they are busy, they are busy. The lab assistants are nice though, they help me a lot. If it were'nt for them I would be lagging behind. But the pressure is killing me, doc. Really...I dont know about you but, I heard that Roger Bircham quit in his last year and started working in the garage. He is so lucky you know. His parents won't say anything. But my father will not allow that, there is so much pressure. He thinks I am like him, but I am not. My mother is understanding though. We get along well, really well. She tells me to do what I want"

" And what else Marvin, how is your football going?"
"Its fine, but havent practised in a month. No time. I am a busy man, I have work to do. This is an important year."
Beep Beep. Beep Beep.
"Hokey tokey, time's up Marvin. I will see you in a week's time then. Good Luck...and take it easy, you will do well in tomorrow's exam."
"Thanks, doc. Intelligence, thats what I am searching for, but if ghosts get along well without a brain my chances look smashing indeed!! Ha! See you later doc."
"See you later, Marvin."
Doc picked up the phone and dialled a number.
"Nurse, get me Mr. Williams, Principal of Largeville High please."

" Hello! Yes?"
"Hello Mr. Williams, I am Dr. Clark speaking."
" Yes, Dr. Clark, how is Marvin?"
" His condition, it is better, Mr. Williams."
" You mean, he knows nothing about ..about..what happened."
" No, he is working for his exams. He keeps repeating that he is under a lot of stress. His line of thought is linked with the pressure of doing well in his last year. But I can see that he is much better now. He feels safer."
" So ...there will not be any more attacks?"
" It is too early to say. His parents visited yesterday. The father blames himself for putting too much pressure on Marvin. The mother just sits there and listens. Cries sometimes. She says that there were so many other options for him. His final year was not the last thing in life. I tried my best to explain that their son needs medication and lot of care. They seemed to understand and then left."
" I pity them. He was such a quiet and good natured boy. Everyone in his class liked him. Maybe, it was is ..the school..to be blamed. Maybe we put too much pressure on students to perform well these days. "
"Well, Mr. Williams, it is hard to explain. His mother says that Marvin was studying in his room. There was a phone call from his friend. He spoke on the phone for five minutes. He then silently placed the phone down and went up to his room. After about half an hour , his mother went up to see if he was alright. Marvin was just seated in his chair, with his books in his lap. He then said, Look ma, I have my most important exam tomorrow and I still haven't finished the portion. Saying that, he went hysterical, threatening that he will not give his exam. His mother tried to calm him down until he became unconscious. He then had to be admitted to the hospital. He missed his exams. He spent a week in the hospital."
" And then he was normal again"
"Yes, and thats when his mother contacted me. Since then, I have been coming here to his house to check on his progress. He seems alright now. God willing, he gets through this phase and graduate."
"Yes, anyway Dr. Clark, I have a meeting in five minutes. Thank you for your call. Its good to know that he is on the road to recovery."
"My pleasure"
Dr. Clark put down the phone.
"Won't you wait for some tea, Dr. Clark?" asked Mrs. Smith, Marvin's mother.
"No thanks Mrs. Smith. I need to get going."
He put his watch on. Set the alarm off and walked towards the door. Marvin just needs to think about other things now. Football, girls, or maybe he is ? Its a complex thing this mind. It makes you do crazy things. Hysterics...atleast he didn't commit suicide.
Thud!!
Dr. Clark stopped in his tracks. The gate was halfway open. He gulped. Leaving the gate open, he ran towards the garden and then he saw the body. Prostrate on the ground, was Marvin Smith. 16 years of age and blood flowing through his side. There was a piece of paper next to his body. Dr. Clark picked it up and read.
"Tomorrow is my toughest exam and I have not finished the portion. What am I going to do?"
Dr. Clark looked at the body. "Why Marvin, why?"
He heard a scream and then someone running towards the garden. He closed his eyes. Somewhere, someone was playing the Queen and David Bowie hit,.."Under Pressure..".