Lufthansa – One Way Ticket to Heaven

Marquel, TPVs NYTimes Psycho Killer Section correspondent was listening to David Byrne, when he read that Lufthansa Says Germanwings Pilot Reported Deep Depression.

The company said Andreas Lubitz, thought to have intentionally crashed a Germanwings flight, had informed it of his depressive episodes in 2009 after a break in training. Marquel could understand nothing about this event. It was so German. Everything seemed inexplicable except to Lufthansa, which came up with story after story until they finally admitted that they knew the young pilot had been treated for suicidal tendencies.

The break came after Mufi pointed out that although these records are theoretically confidential, there is little expectation of privacy by a dead person.

“The NSA has all of this. The only question is who to ask,” said Mufi.

Mufi told Marquel who to ask. It involved taking an elevator downtown to a basement floor that didn’t exist, according to the elevator buttons, but it was possible to get there by holding two other buttons together. When he got there, somebody shoved a large envelope into Marquel’s hands, and pressed lobby for him.

Marquel went to a local Starbucks, sat down and took a look. Pay dirt. It was the transcript of the German psychologist’s session with young Andreas. Marquel realized he could add nothing to what he already had. The transcript was more than enough. So that’s what he submitted to his editor, who then copied and pasted it below:

T(therapist): Tell me a little about yourself.

A: I want to kill myself.

T: Okay, tell me about that.

A: I want to kill myself. I hate living. I hate the desert. I hate the sun. I hate America. I hate Germany.

T: You hate what?

A: Germany.

T: But it is our Fatherland. You cannot hate your Fatherland.

A: Maybe you’re right. Maybe I don’t hate Germany. I think I hate Germans.

T: Why do you think you feel that way?

A: I don’t know. I had no job there I’m lucky to be here in Arizona training to be a pilot. But everyone is German.

T: You are learning a trade. Don’t you think that’s important for a young German?

A: I am learning to work. It seems like slavery. Up. Down. Turn. Descend. Climb. Thirty degrees north. Ten degrees west. All orders.

T: Most Germans love that.

A: I love orders. I love to give them.

T: Good. Good. That’s very German of you.

A: I don’t like to receive orders. It’s like work. I feel like a slave.

T: But work makes you free.

A: My work makes me nervous, not free.

T: Tell me about that.

A: I have a job where if I kill myself I could kill many others.

T: You must not think like that. You are a German. You must save yourself. You are very important. The others don’t matter. Remember, as a German, the others don’t matter.

A: The others don’t matter. I like that.

T: Does it make you feel less suicidal?

A: No, but it makes me feel better about feeling suicidal.

T: That’s good. It’s important to feel better. Don’t you think?

A: The others don’t matter. The others don’t matter. Yes, it’s very important. I feel much better.

T: Why that’s great. Remember, work makes you free.

A: Yes and the others don’t matter.

T: Excellent  That makes you happy, yes?

A: Oh yes. But I still feel suicidal.

T: I wouldn’t worry about it. We’ve made great progress in one session, don’t you think? You say you’re happier, and you seem much happier than when you came in.

A: Because the others don’t matter. I still feel suicidal but I don’t feel bad. What should I do if I’m feeling suicidal?

T: Very often a change of surroundings can do a world of good.

A: A change of surroundings?

T: Why yes. Very helpful. How about a nice airplane trip?

A: An airplane trip?

T:  Yes. But you must not forget your work. Work makes you free. And take a nice airplane trip somewhere.

A: Yes I’ll do that. An airplane trip. And the others don’t matter.

T: Yes, and remember work makes you free.

A: Work makes you free. The others don’t matter. An airplane trip. Thank you doctor.

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By Marquel: Lufthansa – One Way Ticket to Heaven