"The Confession"

The Grey Man wanted to know how this whole thing worked - was he supposed to talk about his life, now ?
"If you want to," replied Dr.Dennis Krutz. "There is no real way of doing this."
The Grey Man was named so because of his grey suit and black tie. His style was often commented by acquaintances as very Sean Connery in the movie From Russia With Love.
The Grey Man liked his clothes, and has kept the same suit with him on every important job he has had. His jacket was now draped across the chair facing the therapist, Dr.Krutz. He was lying down on the leather sofa, creaking and squeaking as he adjusted his position. He began by talking about his job.
The Grey Man was an adjuster - he was in charge of "cleaning up" companies who were not as productive as they should've been. He is given an assignment, which consisted of following a specific employee who a boss suspected was not meeting up to work standards. If the claim was true, then the Grey Man would intervene and give him his pink walking papers.
"And do you like your job ? As an adjuster ?" Dr.Krutz was scribbling away as he talked. The Grey Man had always wanted to know what therapists wrote whenever they held a session. He imagined they doodled and half-listened to their patients at the same time.
The Grey Man responded that he wasn't sure. His last assignment was questionable.
"Why is it questionable ?"
He didn't have enough proof. He needed to know if this employee was doing his job or not.
"What does he do ?"
The Grey Man told him he was in Human Resources. He spent his days handling the affairs of personnel. Only this one was crooked. He was taking advantage of the personnel he worked with, cheating them and abusing them. The Grey Man had followed him for weeks now, studying his movements and his patterns...but nothing.
"Were you expecting to find something ?"
He wasn't sure.
"Everybody keeps something of their bad habits. Smokers carry a lighter. Nailbiters chew gum.
Letting go is hard for people with compulsions".
The Grey Man thought for a second. That was a very excellent point.
"Do you have any compulsions ?"
He only had his job. Nothing more.
"Maybe that's a compulsion you never considered. Maybe that's why you don't feel so good doing your job."
The Grey Man and the doctor shook hands, and set up another meeting at the end of the week.


"Did you think about our last session ?" He had. Dr.Krutz asked this as he jotted down a note. The Grey Man was sitting on a chair in front of the doctor. He kept his jacket on because he felt cold. He responded "Yes" with a smile.
"You've certainly gotten yourself into a better mood since last time."
The last session had helped. He wanted to continue talking about his latest assignment. The doctor had been right - his job was a compulsion, and he wanted to see if there was someway out of it.
"There are always ways to get out of a compulsion or addiction...it just takes dedication and the desire for change."
What did he recommend ?
"You need to look at the things you're using to act on that compulsion and slowly eliminate them."
Quit his job ?
"Not necessarily...but you have to be willing to get rid of things that remind you of your compulsion."
Like maybe completing this assignment.
"Is that what's bothering you about your job ?"
The Grey Man explains that he's really good at his job, and for once something is preventing him from successfully completing it. The Grey Man asks if a bad compulsion was his need to finish his job.
"Do you think it's a problem ? I see it as perfectionism."
Is that bad ?
"Not at all. A perfectionist is a good thing."
Was that what he was ?
"I would like to think so. How many people would say that they didn't want to be perfect in everything they do ?"
They shook hands and agreed for one last session.


When Dr.Krutz walked into his office, he didn't think the Grey Man would be in there before him. His appointment with him wasn't until next week.
A television was set up beside the chairs that they would be sitting on, which gave them a perfect view of the screen with a turn of their heads. Dr. Krutz was startled, but held his composure and remained calm.
"Will we be watching a movie ?"
The Grey Man was staring at him silently. He motioned for the doctor to sit in the chair in front of him.
The Grey Man asked him if he remembered his last job.
"I do. The Human Resources employee. Have you completed that assignment ?"
The Grey Man said he did, and pressed a button on the remote control. Dr.Krutz watched the screen blip once and then show his office on the screen. At first he was confused, but then a sudden terror gripped him as he watched a young girl with long hair come into the picture. She sat on the couch and Dr.Krutz followed, sitting beside her. The doctor in the video began talking to her softly, laying her down onto the couch. He whispered and slowed his voice, the girl's eyes closed as if she was drifting off to sleep. When she finally nodded off into unconsciousness, that's when Dr.Krutz leaned in and began taking off her clothes.
The therapist turned to look at the Grey Man who was staring at him. The Grey Man's expression was blank, cold and unfeeling.
"Let me...let me explain."
The Grey Man told him he didn't have to.
He told him he knew about Sharon. He told him that he knew it had been going on for almost two weeks - the hypnotism's, the rape and sexual abuse....the Grey Man told him everything. And his idea of showing this video now, was inspired by the thought he had given him - Everybody keeps something of their bad habits...
So he decided to act on Dr.Krutz's advice.The Grey Man had broken in a few days earlier with a hunch that Dr.Krutz's job was his life and that there would be a trace of his bad habit in his office.
He found them in a hidden part of his filing cabinet.
He stole the tapes and reviewed them, feeling certain that they were real according to the description of the "dreams" Sharon had been having.
Everybody keeps something of their bad habits
"Why are you doing this ?" Dr.Krutz asked, his fear now highly visible in his trembling voice.
Simple, the Grey Man responded - you're my latest assignment...by the way, Sharon's father says hello....
With one swift movement the Grey Man raised his arm, and pulled the trigger of his Ruger .22 twice. The suppressor spit out a puff-puff, hitting the doctor once in the heart and once in the forehead. The body of Dr.Krutz slumped sideways on the chair, as the Grey Man ejected the tape and calmly closed the door behind him on his way out.