“Don't ever let anybody tell you they can do something to you. You're free, man. You don't have to take that.”

Ralph Tremonte and Donald Weiss, who spent their childhoods together in a psychiatric hospital, reunite after 40 years.

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Recorded in New York, NY

Credits

Produced by Michael Garafalo, Sarah Kramer.

Facilitated by Piya Kochhar.

Transcript

Click here to read the transcript for this story.

Interview transcript

Ralph Tremonte (RT): I'm seeing you after 40 years and I'm seeing fear in you. Now, let me ask you a very important question. Do you feel institutionalized?

Donald Weiss (DW): No.

RT: Because I'd like you to come out of that shell, man. Because you're not free in that shell. And I want you to be free.

DW: I'm free now. I do what I want, now. The only thing is

RT: But you're still scared.

DW: No, I'm not.

RT: Yes, you are. And I wanna tell you something else. Don't stop having interest in women. You're a free man and you should feel that maybe you could pick up a lady or meet a lady.

DW: I have one.

RT: That's great!

DW: Her name is Marion

RT: And another thing: what you should do is make your home more comfortable to live in. Get yourself a CD player and listen to some music. Don't stay in that shell. Do you do a lot of reading?

DW: Yeah. Dirty novels.

RT: See I do Well, dirty novels are all right. That's not against the law. That's why they sell them, Donald. You're not allowing yourself to exercise your freedom, man. And that's what I want you to do man. Because that'll make me real happy. And you'll be able to come out of that shell, man. Cuz I really don't want you in that shell for the rest of your life. Thats the way I feel about it, man. Go ahead, Donald. I want to hear you. I haven't seen you in 40 yrs.

DW: That fear and that darn, lousy hospital is still in my system. [stutters]

RT: Yeah, well, you're never gonna get rid of that. But guess what. . .

DW: I might get rid of it. Half of it is gone.

RT: The memory is always gonna be there. But guess what: you don't have to live it for the rest of your life.

DW: For years I used to bite my fingers, I [stutters].

RT: Donald, they don't have that many hospitals to put anybody in no more.

DW: I know.

RT: We're not living in that era anymore. That era is dead.

DW: It's dead and buried [stutters] rotted.

RT: You don't ever let any body tell you they can do something to you. You're free, man. You don't have to take that. Am I right, Donald?

DW: Right.

RT: Say it loud and clear.

DW: Right! Hundred percent!