This is not a story, but a role-playing exercise I once encountered. The exercise works well as an experiential process both for observer and participant, through an emotional perspective on the intellectual memory. It could be interesting to record the exercise on video, as I am sure participants would be surprised to see their own body language reinforcing negative defence mechanisms in their counterparts. The exercise is done in a group of 10-20 people who have already met each other. Ideally it is done in a room, with two separate entrances. Two volunteers are chosen and asked to leave the room separately. The exits must be far enough apart that they will not be able to see or mix with each other while outside. The first volunteer is given the following instruction on a slip of paper:
You have just come out of a hospital where your young child has been diagnosed with a rare and fatal disease. The doctors just told you that sadly your child will not surviveanother day and there is nothing they can do about it without appropriate medicine which they do not have.
They have given you one last hope: the juice of a whole orange has the ingredient that can combat your child’s disease. The only problem is that oranges have become extremely rare, even if you can find them they are extremely expensive, and you have no money. You are distraught, with nowhere to go, no one to turn to, unable to bare the thought of your child dying.
As you stand helpless, suddenly in the road in front of you see an orange. It is a miracle. You feel an incredible surge of gratitude, as you bend forward to pick it up. But as you lean over an arm comes into your site and grasps the orange before you can get to it. The person who now has the orange in a tight grip turns and starts walking away. You feel you have again been deprived of your only hope. You must in some way persuade this person to help you save your child.
The second volunteer is given the same instruction on a slip of paper except the peel is substituted instead of the juice.
While the two volunteers are outside, the rest of the group are explained the situation and instructed to watch the ensuing behaviours without any interference.
Both volunteers enter and walk towards the centre of the room, as they approach each other a scrap of paper representing the orange is thrown on the floor in between them.
When I was volunteered for this exercise, as I saw the orange being dropped on the floor, I made very sure I was the person who picked it up, even though this was not exactly on my script.
As my counterpart implored me to let him have the orange, I admit that having obtained what I needed, as far as I was concerned the exercise was to all intents and purposes over. I merely closed my emotions off to his pleading assuming his situation was exactly the same as my own, in the belief there was no way I could fairly risk losing my own child. Needless to say when the exercise was over I was greatly embarrassed by what had been just been a fear of being weak, and thereby opening myself up the possibility of my counterpart persuading me.
I love this teaching, because it identifies a space not immediately visible, that speaks volumes of what is possible in spite of all apparent adversity. Fear, anger, conflict all work their magic, distracting the mind so that it will even deny the obvious. I think this exercise is as much about faith as it is about communication.