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Case Studies Bearing Upon Survival – John F Thomas

CASE 2I. A PURCHASE

What seems to Mr. T. a striking instance of awareness of a detail of his everyday life while at Durham is concerned with a purchase of collars that he made while there. The circumstances relevant to the reference are given in comments written by Mr. T. just after the record was received from London. “As nearly as I can locate it, about two weeks previous to October 29, I bought three soft collars in the Brooks Shop, Washington Duke Hotel, Durham, N. C. It could not have been over three weeks before, for I reached Durham the evening of Friday, October 5. I tried to buy the ‘Art' collar and asked if there were eighth sizes, intending to change from 15 1/4 to 15 3/8. I was unable to get either the collar asked for or eighth sizes in any brand, so I took the 'Larch' collar, 15 1/2 size, When I put this on, it proved so large that it was grotesque and two of the three are still in the original package. During the week following this, I went to the Durham Men's Shop and bought three 'Art' collars, size 15 1/4. I again inquired about eighth sizes, intending to buy 15 3/8, but was unable to get them.

Ethel was always very much interested in suitable collars for me. When I am arranging my tie in the morning I often have an amused recollection of her interest and of a remark she once made in connection with a particular soft collar I had on at the time: ' You look as if you had a sore throat."'

 Record. Mrs. Leonard, October 29, 1928, secretary alone.

"And also will you tell him that she was with him quite lately. She says, 'Quite lately, quite lately,' and he was ordering something.

[Feda to communicator: “Ordering something?"]

He was giving an order for something and he gave an order for rather a peculiarly odd number. He tried to keep it to what might be called a round or even number, and he couldn’t. I want you to say ‘He couldn't.' There was something prevented him being able to give the order for the number that would have been most convenient. After he had given the order, he found that he had to alter it again. He wanted a different number again to what he had ordered, and she saw him writing down a different number altogether.

[The above looks like an attempt at the fact that Mr. T. tried to get an unusual size.]

Will you see if the figures 1 and 8 come in, or 8 and 1. She gets an 8 and a 1. Also a 2 and a 1 rather plainly. There is an initial 'R' come up with it, and a name or word sounding like a name beginning with the K sound. I think she makes a ‘C' The letter she wrote up look like ‘C’ but you know ‘C' sound like 'K,' and it sound like 'ker' in Carter.

[Feda to communicator: "Carter? Clarker?"]

 A name sounding like Clarker or Carter. That is very near it because she sort of hesitated a minute and nodded her head, as if to say 'That will give an indication.'

 'Clark,' I think sounds very near it, and will you ask him also if he has been trying to draw something lately? Drawing? What she is showing me looks as if he had been drawing curves like this. He has either been doing circles or curves, something rather special, lately."

[Feda probably tries to get "Art” and "collar" in the above. Perhaps the communicator is not satisfied with the attempt and tries to indicate collars by showing circles or curves, possibly by motions with the hand.]