nce　to　a　special　blanket；　or　a　teddy　bear；　or　a

stuffed　tiger。　They　suck　their　thumbs。　When　an　adult　sees　things　that　aren't

there；　we　consider　him　ready　for　the　rubber　room。　When　a　child　says　he's　seen　a

troll　in　his　bedroom　or　a　vampire　outside　the　window；　we　simply　smile

indulgently。　We　have　a　one…sentence　explanation　that　explains　the　whole　range　of

such　phenomena　in　children　—　〃

〃He'll　grow　out　of　it；〃　Jack　said。

Edmonds　blinked。　〃My　very　words；〃　he　said。　〃Yes。　Now　I　would　guess　that　Danny

was　in　a　pretty　good　position　to　develop　a　full…fledged　psychosis。　Unhappy　home

life；　a　big　imagination；　the　invisible　friend　who　was　so　real　to　him　that　he

nearly　became　real　to　you。　Instead　of　‘growing　out　of'　his　childhood

schizophrenia；　he　might　well　have　grown　into　it。〃

〃And　bee　autistic？〃　Wendy　asked。　She　had　read　about　autism。　The　word　itself

frightened　her；　it　sounded　like　dread　and　white　silence。

〃Possible　but　not　necessarily。　He　might　simply　have　entered　Tony's　world

someday　and　never　e　back　to　what　he　calls　‘real　things。'　〃

〃God；〃　Jack　said。

〃But　now　the　basic　situation　has　changed　drastically。　Mr。　Torrance　no　longer

drinks。　You　are　in　a　new　place　where　conditions　have　forced　the　three　of　you

into　a　tighter　family　unit　than　ever　before　—　certainly　tighter　than　my　own；

where　my　wife　and　kids　may　see　me　for　only　two　or　three　hours　a　day。　To　my　mind；

he　is　in　the　perfect　healing　situation。　And　I　think　the　very　fact　that　he　is

able　to　differentiate　so　sharply　between　Tony's　world　and　‘real　things'　says　a

lot　about　the　fundamentally　healthy　state　of　his　mind。　He　says　that　you　two　are

no　longer　considering　div