Easier

“I need you to be lazy,” the Coach said.

Driving through the neighborhoods of manicured lawns, the Client had peered only at the road right in front of him. His attitude, regarding the interior of the car, the nearby traffic, or the amount of gas in his tank, was not lazy. He was not glancing at the palm trees that bordered the lawns. He did not take shortcuts. He did not wander off of his chosen path in a lazy manner. The four-hour drive had made his imagination work harder than the engine, leaving him wondering if he would find any real answers in the conversation ahead. The leather on the driver's seat was comfortable, but he was not. Because he was never, ever lazy.

Intent on his destination, he turned. But only when the GPS said so. He knew, deep down, that the navigation would reroute if he made a wrong move. But he didn't want to risk it.

On the drive, the Client was preoccupied with two objectives: getting somewhere and leaving the past behind. The first half of his plan was going well. Gripping the wheel tightly, he found himself on a broad residential boulevard. He had reached the Coach's street.

He still managed to drive past the address. He was lost in thought. Recalculating, he got there.

“Welcome,” the Coach had said, and opened the front door. The Client and Coach exchanged greetings and walked through the house. They passed through two French doors and entered ...