I Never Promised You a Rose Garden Chapter 2 Summary

  • Alone at the mental hospital, Deborah is watched by staff while she showers.
  • It might sound weird at first, but then we learn that the last straw that made Deborah's parents seek out help was when Deborah tried to kill herself by slitting one of her wrists.
  • Whoa. Yeah, maybe it's good to keep a close eye on this girl, after all.
  • We learn more about the hierarchy and construction of Yr. There is the Midworld, which stands between Yr and the Here and Now. The Collect is a part of the Midworld, which is a choir of voices that rev up to drown out both worlds for Deborah. (Yeah, this is all weird, but imaginary worlds and friends are often weird, so stay with us.)
  • Dr. Fried, a prestigious doctor in high demand, looks at some file notes about Deborah Blau the describe a tumor that was removed from her urethra when she was five. The notes also describe the difficulty Deborah had adjusting after moving between Chicago and the suburbs.
  • In Deborah's mind again, we learn that Yr has gods and levels and gatekeepers and "Powers" that can reward her with time in Yr that makes her oblivious to the real world.
  • Jacob and Ester go home and still fail to communicate effectively with one another.
  • The Blaus concoct lies to tell family and friends, including Deborah's younger sister Suzy. They tell some people that Deborah's at a special school, and they tell others that she's at a convalescent home where she can rest for a while.
  • Dr. Fried decides to make time for Deborah's case because she truly believes helping the mentally ill find their inner strength is important. She also believes that many "sane" people don't examine their own lives as closely as those who suffer mental illness.
  • Dr. Fried is kind of awesome.