Dr Pangloss is an updated version of the character in Candide, combined with my friend, Alison. The idea is to have him dealing with several modern jobs that must try the most optimistic of people. I should credit Bry for, at least in part, giving me the idea – though she naturally bears no responsibility for my botching the concept.
Dr Pangloss is waiting in his office, as yet another troubled young man, Dean Simmons, is ushered sullenly in to meet him.
Convinced that Dean’s hostile manner was simply a manifestation of nerves and awkwardness, Pangloss beamed at him and bade him feel at home. Then he shuffled through his papers and found the information relating to this offender. Grievious bodily harm with intent, and possession of an offensive weapon. Apparently he’d threatened some fifteen year old kid with a knife, punched him to the ground and then kicked him repeatedly to the head when he was down there.
“So, Mr Simmonds, can I call you Dean?”
“Whatever.”
“Dean, I see you pleaded not guilty, so I assume that you didn’t do it and are the victim of a terrible miscarriage of justice.”
Dean seemed to briefly consider this, then shook his head decisively.
“Nah, I done it all right, I was just hoping there might be, like, a few morons in the jury I could fool.”
“Ah, OK. Well, it’s posive that you accept your guilt, is that indicative that you feel some remorse for it?”
“No way, given the chance I’d do the little fucker again.”
So much beauty out there 