The man shuffled a few papers, then spoke, "You went to High School with this person, and then roomed with him at Michigan State University. You know him as ..."

I had not settled down. I had not relaxed. I knew who I knew him as. Why did the man phrase it that way. I couldn't imagine that my friend would take on a different name ...having resorted to a life of crime.

The man continued, "He is in a Mental Institution." He paused, as if to allow me to absorb what he'd said, before continuing on with his shocking statements, "I need you to sign some papers to authorize his release."

Now this was just a dream, so looking back on it, of course it doesn't have to make sense ...but I appeared to be somewhat myself with my response in my dream. I reacted by loudly stating,"This doesn't make any sense! I haven't seen him in over 15 years, you haven't told me why he's in a Mental Institution, and even when you do tell me, like I'm sure you soon will, I couldn't possibly sign anything!"

I was never good at hiding my emotions of frustration ...and I was not through, "I am not a psychologist, nor a psychiatrist ...there's no way I could make a decision like that! Think of the liability!" I took a breath to relax a bit, "Even a Doctor would not sign something without first seeing the patient ...and a Doctor, I certainly am not!"

The man let me take a couple more breaths, to see if I was through. Then he, who was very much in control of his emotions, spoke, "He is in a Mental Institution ...because he is no longer who he once was."

I honestly was trying to relax, but failing miserably. Had he resorted to crime, and that was why I was being told he was no longer who he was? And had he tried to avoid a large sentence by using the insanity strategy? I still could not believe all this! He never showed any tendency towards crime, yet I am not so naive that I am ignorant to the fact that people's lives do change ...and they change with them.