Anger Management Part I "
By: Patia Zoei, Chief Counselor, [PC]
Crewman Spencer , Engineer , [NPC]
Crewman Bush , Engineer , [NPC]

Stardate: 58205.25 2000

==Counseling Office==

"Chief Silvio was not happy," said Busch as he and Spencer got off the turbolift on deck 8.

Spencer laughed, "He is a young punk. I have been an engineer longer than he has been a man."

"Do you think he knows what the fight was about?" asked Busch.

"Who cares," said Spencer. The two of them entered the counseling center and rang the chime to the counselor's office.

"Enter," Patia called. She stood slowly and placed her palms on the desk as the door slid open. As the two men entered and crossed the room, Patia silently watched. WHen they finally rached her desk, she asked, "Are you aware why you are here today?"

"Yes Ma'am," said Busch, "We had a diagreement that got out of hand and Chief Silvio ordered us to see you for an anger management evaluation." Spencer nodded but said nothing.

"Crewman Spencer, as you saw outside my door, there is a chair in the waiting area. Please feel free to use it while cewman Busch and I are meeting. When he is done, it will be your turn." Patia nodded as she dismissed him.

A dark scowl covered Spencer's face, "Yes Ma'am," he said turing on his heal he left her office.

Patia gestured to the chair across form her, "Have a seat, crewman." Patia slid her chair up to the desk and gracefully sat down. She retrieved the personnel filed she had reviewed earlier. The diciplinary report was displayed on her screen. Her dark eyes quickly flicked over the information before settling on the man across the desk.

Busch sat quietly. His palms were sweaty, he had expected that she would talk to them both at the same time. He studied her face, looking for any sign that she knew what the fight was about. With any luck she did not. When the Security chief had interviewed him, he had broken down and told her that he and Spencer had too much to drink and were arging about a bet they had made. He and Spencer had placed a wager on whether or not the counselor and Silvio had slept together yet.

The tips of Patia's ears felt hot. THe rumors were worse than she thought they were, "Crewman, I understand you recently spent a little time in the brig."

"Yes Ma'am," he said. His placed his trembling hands in his lap.

"And that was the result of a...?" The open ended question hung silently in the air.

Busch, sighed, "A disagreement, Ma'am." He looked at her with pleading eyes, please don't ask, he thought.

Patia sighed. She thought of all the questions that she would like to ask, but she was a professional. The problem at hand appeared to be an anger management issue. Aditionally, the majority of the infactions listed on his record were alcohol related. Becasue of this, the question he feared would remain unasked. "Crewman, disagreements don't generally land a person in the brig."

"No Ma'am, we had too much to drink," said Busch.

"And?" Patia asked.

"Well," Busch stuttered, "we made a bet a few weeks ago and he tried to claim that he won and wanted me to pay up. I did not think he won and refused." Busch paused remembering the night. Spencer had said that the couselor and the boss had slept together on the holodeck but would not offer proof. As the night went on, Spencer had gotten drunker and he becamevmeaner. Spencer hurled insults at Busch. "He started insulting my family. I got mad and all hell broke out."

Patia nodded slightly, "Now that you are sober, how do you think you should have handled the situation."

Busch shrugged, the images of his wife and children on Bajor popped into his head. "I had to hit him, I love my family."

"So, hypothetically speaking, if you insulted me or someone I loved, I would be justified in hitting you," Patia asked one eyebrow arched.

Busch gave it some thought, "I am not sure it would be justified, but I would understand why you did it." He relaxed a bit; she had not asked what the bet was about and was concentratig on the action. He might just get through this.

"In the end, what did your violence accomplish?" Patia asked.

Busch shrugged. He absently rubbed the sore knuckles on his right hand. "Nothing I suppose, but it felt good at the time."

"I wouldn't say it accomplished noting, crewman. You spent the night in the brig. There will be an official notation in your record. You jeapordized your standing. Those are accomplishments."

"I guess those are not very good accomplishments," observed Busch/

"I suppose not," she replied. "If hadn't been drinking last night, what do you think would have happened differently, or would everything have happened the same?"

"I probably would have not been with Spencer at all if I had not been drinking. It probably would not have happened."

"How do you feel about that," asked Patia.

Busch shrugged, "Come to think of it, we made the original bet when we were drinking too. Jimmy is my best friend though," he said.

"Out of curiosity, why would someone you consider to be your best friend insult your family?"

"It was just the alcohol talking," he said.

Silently Patia watched his face, waiting. She wondered if he would make the connection between his troubles and his drinking.

Busch looked at Patia and waited for her to say something.

"Crewman, I will be sending you someting when the yellow alert has passed. It is a tool to help you self evaluate how alcohol impacts your life. Once you have had the chance to honestly complete it, I expect to see you in my office within one week of seeing the paperwork."

"You think I have an alcohol problem," he said shortly.

"By your own account, there are two incidences where something happened when you were drinking that wouldn't have happened if you hadn't been. I am not judging you or trying to give you a problem you don't have, I just want you to take a few minutes to honestly examine yourself. You may find you have an alcohol problem, but you might find you don't. Or, you might find that you have the potential to have a problem. We will be better prepared to deal with any of those situations once the evaluation is done." Patia smiled reassuringly.

"I will do your assessment, but I do not have a alcohol problem," he said defiantly.

Patia nodded. "That is all I ask. Did you have any questions for me before you report back to duty?"

"No ma'am," he said.

"Then you are free to go." Patia stood as she released the young crewman back to his duty station.

"Thank you ma'am," he said, feeling a bit foolish about the bet he had made he added, "Sorry ma'am," without thinking.

"Your apology is accepted. I would appreciate it, though, if your future betting centered on something other than my personal life," Patia's lips smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

Busch's eyes opened wide and the color drained from his face, "It will never happen again, ma'am." He quickly left the room.