Report 5: The Lindon Family, Interview 2: Claire Lindon and Corey Lindon

            Abby led me upstairs to her daughter’s bedroom before heading back again, saying she wanted her children to have the benefit of a secluded and unbiased environment for the interview, a position I was grateful for, as it had most certainly not been the reality with some of my prior cases.

            Claire was dressed in what looked like a high school soccer league uniform and seated at the desk in her room, resting her cheek against her fist and slowly moving her lips, when the pair of us entered so Abby could introduce me.  Corey was nowhere to be seen.

TC: Hi, Claire.  My name’s Howard Taylor.  I think your mother mentioned I was coming?

Claire: Yes.  You’re from Techilogic, aren’t you?

TC: Yes.

Claire: Cool.

TC: Well, thank you.  I’m not sure I’ve ever had that label ascribed to me.  I was hoping I’d be able to speak to your brother, too.  Is he around somewhere close?

            Claire giggled as she lifted her head away from the fist she had it leaned against, though she kept her elbow against the surface of the desk.

Claire: Yes, he is.

            Slowly, she opened up her fist, revealing the inch-tall form of Corey Lindon in the center of her upturned palm.

TC: Ah.  Hello, Corey?

Corey: Hi.

            Corey’s voice was soft due to being the minimum allowable height of the PMRD, but considering he had just been closed up in the darkness and presumably increased heat of his sister’s fist, he sounded surprisingly animated.

TC: If you’re both ready, would you be willing to answer a few questions for me about your family’s experience with The Shrink Act?

Claire: Sure, go ahead.

Corey: Okay.

TC: Thank you.  Just to start off, I was hoping to get a little intro information about the both of you.  Whatever you’re willing to share.

            Claire and Corey looked to one another, waiting to see who’d go first, before Claire shrugged and took the lead.

Claire: I’m sixteen.  I’m a sophomore this year.  Starting forward on the varsity team, too.  Soccer.  (laughs) I guess you probably guessed the sport from what I’m wearing.

TC: I did.  And Corey?  What about you?

Corey: I’m twenty, and a sophomore at Aegis University, majoring in pre-med.  Also varsity soccer.  I’m in a fraternity, too.

TC: That all sounds great, both of you, thanks.  And Corey, I was a fraternity brother myself.  Which do you belong to?

Corey: Beta house.

TC: Good man.  Sorry now, moving forward.  Didn’t mean to go off on a tangent.  Could I maybe get the both of you to describe how Corey’s time here has impacted your home life?  What’s changed?

Claire: It’s actually not a lot different, at least to me, but what is different is so nice.  We have to make sure we watch where we’re walking more so we don’t step on him, but Mom says there’s going to be little walkways on some of the walls soon for Corey to use so we don’t always have to worry as much.  The house always looks a lot cleaner, and I get to spend more time with my big brother.

            I reflected momentarily on the inherent humor of the specific title Claire used for Corey, but there was no trace of joking in her tone.

TC: That’s great.

Claire: Plus, he gets to leave the house three times a week, so he can come see me play again at practice and all the games.  That’s my favorite part.

TC: Corey?  What do you have to say about it?

Corey: Well, a lot for me has changed.  Obviously.  But not just the being small thing, or working here instead of being at school.   Everything’s changed.

TC: Like what?

Corey: The way I’m thinking about things, really.  I feel… awful broken up about what happened on the road that night.  I know that sounds kind of weak, to just sum it up like that, but it’s because I really don’t have the words for it.  I can’t even describe it.  It’s been hard, but going forward, I know I have to face what happened, for myself and for everybody.  I have to.

            As an experienced analyst, I pride myself on being able to detect with startling accuracy when an interviewee is lying to me, or at the very least inflating the truth to win brownie points.  Neither was happening here.  Corey’s words, very convincing on their own, became softer at these statements, and I suspected it was to hide a trembling tenor to his voice.  He hung his head a little lower, though he probably didn’t need to, as his expression was already tougher to gauge at one inch in height.  Claire’s thumb brushed a single time with delicate tenderness down her brother’s back.

TC: Interesting.  Is that all?

Corey: I guess I’d say the kind of mindset I want when I get to go back to school has changed.  I… want to be a doctor someday.  I hope.  I’m going to start putting that more at the front of my mind now, more than I was before even.

            I was surprised by how much Corey was contributing here already, given the past results I’d received in trying to interview the actual incarcerated individuals of the shrunken house arrests in the presence of a caretaker.  From what I’d seen before, answers were really only provided when an aggressive glance was provided by whoever was holding them, but no such thing was required here.  It was encouraging to see this kind of open conversation and thoughtful response that didn’t come off as pure pandering.

TC: I know this is off the subject, but I’m curious now, Corey.  What made you want to be a doctor?

Corey: My dad had a big part in it, but I’ve always loved the science.  And I want to help people.  That’s… the main thing of it.

            Claire was silently beaming down at her brother through all this as she kept her palm perfectly steady on its horizontal axis.

TC: I see.  That’s a great way of looking at things, I’d say.

Corey: It’s just what I’ve always wanted.

Claire: He’s so smart.  He’s going to be so great at it.

TC: Has it been all positive changes, then, in the stay back at home?

Claire: Yes.

Corey: I think so.  Especially since I was almost… in a cell somewhere, instead of here with my family.  I’m treated well here while still having to atone for what I did, and I take that very seriously.  So do they.

TC: That leads to my next question well.  In what ways is your rehabilitation served?

Corey: Whatever ways I can.  Mostly cleaning the house.  I put a lot of time into studying, too, so I don’t fall behind in school.  But mostly however I’m needed, and whatever I’m able to do on my own.

TC: Your mother was telling me a little about the benefits of being able to serve your time here.  How much does your family contribute directly to your rehabilitation?

Corey: Well, Mom’s usually pretty busy with her work at the university.  Plus, sometimes she’s already busy working with… other people, but she makes time to help me.  I really want to show that I can make responsible use of time, so I’ll get my jobs in the morning and have until nighttime to finish them.  It’s usually just me working on my own.

Claire: Except when he’s with me.

Corey: Except when I’m with Claire.

TC: Do you have anything to add about this, Claire?  Do you participate much in your brother’s rehabilitation?

            Claire shrugged.

Claire: Yes.  Every time I make him smaller.  Smaller than the twelve inches Mom usually keeps him at, I mean.

TC: I see.  Do you shrink him yourself often?

Claire: Yeah, if we’re going to hang out and Mom doesn’t need him to work on the house or study.

TC: How small do you make him?

Claire: I let him help me decide sometimes, but mostly I just make him like he is now.

TC: Which is?

            Another smirk spread over Claire’s face.

Claire: An inch.

TC: Why, if I may ask, do you settle on that height for him?

Claire: He’s easier to keep track of, I guess. I know that sounds weird, but he is, because he can’t really go anywhere on his own until Mom gets the little walkways.  I have to take him to make sure he stays safe, and keep him warm.  Plus, if I need him to help me clean up something, he just does it.

TC: I see.  It’s good that your relationship as siblings is like that, to be able to make things easier with this situation now.

Corey: I’m glad about it.

Claire: (laughs) You weren’t always glad about it, were you?  When we were little?

Corey: Maybe.  I’m pretty sure at those times you weren’t exactly “little” though.

Claire: That’s true.  But you still didn’t like it much at first. (to me)  He didn’t like it much at first.

TC: You’re saying things weren’t always so positive?

Corey: I guess you could say that, yeah.

Claire: But not anymore.  Now everything’s good, and since he’s here to work and learn, he doesn’t say no.

TC: Interesting.  So has there ever been a problem, then?  Has he ever refused a request you’ve given?

            There was a pause here as Claire gave me a look as though I’d suddenly tried conducting the interview in a foreign language.

Claire: No.  Why would he?

            I glanced at Corey, whose expression remained unchanged by his sister’s statement.

TC: What kinds of work might you have Corey help you with, then?

Claire: Not much, since Mom already has him do a lot of the house, but just stuff in my room, mostly.  If I got mud on my cleats at practice the night before, usually he’ll work on that.  His little fingers can get into the treads better.

TC: I see.  That makes sense.  Moving forward now, what are your views of The Shrink Act overall?

            Claire looked down at Corey in her palm expectantly, obviously allowing him to take a turn.

Corey: Um, I guess I’ll go first.  I’m glad I was given the chance.  You know, to learn from what happened, and take some time to really think about it, because I have a responsibility.  A big responsibility.

TC: I know it’s a difficult subject, but could you say any more on that responsibility?

            Corey let out a deep sigh before proceeding.

Corey: Okay.  What I did to Marion, the woman in that car.  We both made big mistakes that night, and she died because of it while I walked away, and I can never make that all the way right again, but I still have to do what I can.  Here, I can do it in a place I feel safe, but keep working back to where I was before.  I think if it can be good for me, it could be for others, too.  And it’s better than prison.

            Corey’s words sounded intensely remorseful.  Despite the painful implications, I can’t help but wonder, as an aspiring medical student with as much grounding in helping people, how much the situation he became involved with truly damaged him.  Nevertheless, that wasn’t a question for this particular interview, nor something I could probably have accurately gleaned.

TC: And Claire?  What about you?  What are your thoughts on The Shrink Act?

            A little grin crossed Claire’s lips here.

Claire: I like it.

TC: All right.  Care to elaborate at all?

Claire: I’m just glad Corey’s home.  I know his school’s important, but after what happened, he had to either go to jail or come here for a while.  This is so much better.

TC: How so?

Claire: Well, I like that he’s living back home with us again, but also, I don’t think jail would’ve been right.  What he did… he still did it because he was going too fast, but it was really the other person.  The lady.  Marion.  She did it.  It happened because of her.

TC: Interesting.  Please correct me if I’m misunderstanding, but you’re saying it wasn’t really his fault?

Claire: No.  It wasn’t.  I know he says it was, but it wasn’t.

            I found myself somewhat perplexed at this moment, wondering if I had phrased my questions poorly and Claire had misunderstood.  Corey, though difficult to read at such a small height, looked a bit distraught at these statements of his sister’s.

TC: So why do it?  Why make him an inch, I mean.

            Here, I watched as Claire’s fingers began curling upward and over her brother again in the center of her palm.  He ducked down before they’d even overtaken him, and a moment later she’d sealed him back inside without squeezing again in the slightest.  She glanced coyly at her fist.

Claire: Because I get to do this.

            I paused in my questioning for an uncomfortable moment.  After a few more seconds, Claire unrolled her fist again, allowing her brother to sit up straight again in her palm.  I quickly moved on.

TC: I’m curious about something else that the both of you can answer.  I know we touched on this to an extent before.  How has your relationship as siblings been affected, if at all, by The Shrink Act?  Is it different?

            Corey swallowed audibly, something I was slightly impressed by given his scale, and seemed to more or less recover from his pained state after the discussion of his blame, or at least enough to give a steady answer.

Corey: A little bit, yeah.

TC: How so?

Claire: He doesn’t get to see his friends as much, so I’m mostly all he’s got.

            Corey shrugged at this, not entirely in disagreement with this hijacked explanation.

Corey: Um.  Yeah.  Sort of.

Claire: He gets to see my friends, though, when they come visit me.  And they all like him a lot, so it’s really like he just gets to see different friends now.

Corey: Uh-huh.

TC: I see.  Meaning you all hang out together?

Claire: Yes.  I almost get jealous sometimes, actually.  They talk to him a ton.  A lot more than when he was normal-size.

TC: That’s nice, though, that you all get along.  I’m curious.  Did they have to adjust at all to being around someone under the supervision of the Act?

Corey: Just at first.

Claire: They know how to be safe around him.  My friend Melody’s sister Ashley is on a Shrink Act sentence right now, too, and she’s usually at an inch, so she knows how to treat him.  And Mellie’s nice to everybody and super gentle.  Even Jenna’s really careful with him, too.  Mostly.

TC: Interesting.  So that prior experience, then, helps out.

Claire: Yeah.  And everyone’s better off.

TC: Would you say that would be the case most of the time?  I mean in situations where any person is serving a shrunken house arrest.

            Claire gave me another funny look.

Claire: Yeah.  Wouldn’t it always be?

TC: Well, I don’t know.  That’s up to you to answer.  What do you think about it?

Claire: I don’t know why it wouldn’t always be the best way to do it.  It’s so nice.  You get a place to learn your lesson still, but it’s in your house with your family.  And who takes care of you better than your own family?

            I resolved to restrain from the sudden urge I felt to name drop a few incidents that would probably disprove such an absolute statement.  Once again, this interview was not the time or place for such things.

TC: Interesting.  Corey, would you agree?

            He paused for a moment, I daresay not as unflinchingly confident in his stance on it as his sister.

Corey: Yeah.  Yeah, I think it would be better.  Most of the time.

TC: Thank you.  Was there anything either of you wanted to add before we wrap up?

Corey: Nope.

Claire: About anything?

TC: Anything at all.

Claire: Okay.  Um.  I guess I’m just really glad The Shrink Act is around.  For my big brother, and for everybody.

            Corey actually nodded at this statement of his sister’s, and I think given the possible other circumstances he might’ve personally found himself in, he wasn’t wrong to agree in this case.

TC: I guess we’re about done, then.  Would you both be willing to speak to me again in six months for a follow-up?

Claire: Sure.

TC: Excellent.  I appreciate your time, both of you.

Claire: You’re welcome. (to Corey) Aren’t you going to say bye to him?

            Here, Claire lifted a fingertip under Corey’s hand, motivating him to lift it up.  Her finger remained in place even once he started waving on his own to help give guidance.

Corey: Bye!

            I exited the premises of the Lindon household a few minutes later with a cordial farewell from the family and the invitation to return in six months for a follow-up.  I extended my gratitude and then began the drive back to the airport.

            If my suspicions weren’t in place before, I now know full well why this specific case was recommended to me.  The overall positive atmosphere of the Lindons’ experience with The Shrink Act and PMRD is one that could practically fit into a promotional pamphlet for Techilogic, or at least on a surface level.  There are still various inclinations I have to observe the family’s interactions further for more detailed analysis, but that will be best reexamined at the follow-up rather than now with only one round of interviews.  It is indeed a case that will stand in contrast to the information I’ve gathered previously, and the only one, I should think, of my compiled files that will not upset Techilogic executives, nor most of the general public.

            For the benefit of a preemptive defense, I will state here and now that the presence of cases like this one was in no way a surprise to me.  In short, my intention was never to deny the existence of more positive implementations of The Shrink Act like with the Lindons.  The system can and has been proven to be more effective than prison on an instance-by-instance basis; I am the first to admit that fact, as I have about two years’ worth of data that I collected myself from other projects that can firmly attest to such in light of the new law.

            Though I left the Lindon house feeling very gratified to know it worked out so well for Corey Lindon, all things considered, there are still lingering issues on my mind, not the least among which are Corey’s fully confessional stance on the accident he was involved in and Claire’s enjoyment at keeping a man she openly believes is innocent at the smallest possible height.  From a larger perspective, though, I still feel a certain curiosity about the utter confidence the members of the household seemed to have in the integrity of shrunken house arrests.  Even Corey, who would probably have the greatest reason to feel shortchanged by it, displayed earnest feelings of gladness toward it all.

            For now, these concerns of mine are pushed to the side as I am convinced that the Act has indeed been a boon to the Lindons, and as this study’s primary purpose was and continues to be the affirmation of the human condition’s maintenance in Shrink Act participants, I am satisfied with the results.  It is my hope that with completion of this case, my superiors will be temporarily appeased and convinced of the balanced nature of my study, thus giving me a greater chance of success in pursuing further subjects that, in opposition to the Lindon case, Techilogic might prefer to have pushed under the rug.