1

The Maître’d of the luxury hotel went to the foyer and called on Mrs Catherine Williams.

Two tall and attractive blonde ladies got up. One got up from a very comfortable armchair, while the other while stood up from a stool facing the bar counter. They stared at each other mystified as they looked like identical twins, that is apart from their dresses, different in style and colour. The head-waiter was astonished and politely asked which one of them was Mrs Catherine Williams and they both replied.

“Yes” she answered.

“Your table is ready and the gentleman is already seated.”

The well-mannered one answered quickly. “It’s me who is expected. I’m his wife!”

“I think you’re mistaken,” exclaimed the other woman.

“No I’m not mistaken! Ask the Maître’d he knows me personally.” Catherine explained rather confused.

“Who are you talking to Mrs Williams?” asked the Maître’d, looking around him noticing that she was the only one in the foyer.

For clarity we would call the prudent lady Catherine, while the impolite woman we name her Kate.

2

It began about two years previously, until then life was normal for these two women. On occasions when one enquired about something on the phone the assistant would promptly reply, “But Mrs Williams you’ve already enquired about it and I explained it in details.

“Yes Mrs Williams you have made an appointment for two o’clock this afternoon the day before yesterday in the morning! Anita made the appointment for you.”

“Did you say you wanted another twelve bottles of the Rioja? What do you mean madam? Your order which you asked for yesterday, is on its way now.”

Catherine and Kate couldn’t explain the bizarre situation but they both ignored it until now, as they were facing each other trying to explain to one another that one of them was an impostor!

3

Catherine’s statement.

“I don’t dare close my eyes again. I cannot make sense out of this situation at all. Last night I had a nightmare which had no beginning and no end. I had one of my bad headaches, migraine to be exact so I went to bed early hoping the darkness would ease the pain.

Suddenly I was standing in this wine bar dressed in a revealing evening dress. I had a small black handbag and I was well made-up. In truth I am not like that at all, I’m very subtle and not daring at all. The most frightening thing of all is that I am very allergic to make-up. My skin reacts to any cosmetics I put on and the only thing I can wear is perfume.

The bar was full of people and I was doing things that I never do. I was drinking alcohol and smoking, which in reality I detest. I can still taste the bitterness of the alcohol in my mouth.

I left with a man and went to his apartment in his car. I don’t know how or when but suddenly I was standing on top of a body in the living room. He had a bullet in his head. I know I don’t need a psychiatrist. I am not going mad. Sitting here afraid, in my home waiting for my husband not knowing what is real and what is fantasy.

The only certain thing I know is that on my bed this morning I found the bag that I had in my nightmare, but I know that I don’t own it. It doesn’t belong to me. When I opened it I took out a small gun, dropping it on the floor with disbelief, I could not pick it up.”

4

Kate’s statement.

“The more I see her the more I hate her. If I could get rid of her once and for all I will but what will happen to me? There’s only one difference between us. I’m the more attractive and the more intelligent and apart from looking identical we have nothing in common. How the hell did she come into my life or was it I who actually invaded her privacy? It doesn’t matter anymore, what’s done is done. She keeps insisting that I am her nightmare. But the murder of the man was anything but a nightmare and it was not the figment of her imagination. Perhaps she doesn’t know it but I do, the man was found in his apartment with her finger prints all over the place.”

5

The Psychiatrist's statement.

“At first I thought that Mrs Kate Williams was only an assumed personality for Mrs Catherine Williams. Then through hypnosis I knew for a fact that it is not an assumed identity.

Kate is a separate and distinct personality who happened to be sharing the same body of Catherine. An example of which can be made from Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde”. To a degree Catherine and Kate is the living counterpart of the said story.

The only exception is that Kate Williams knows of Catherine, but Catherine was unaware of Kate. These two identities differ a lot. While Catherine is allergic to cosmetics, her skin will start to swallow and her eyes starts to water but it doesn’t bother Kate at all, also Catherine she never touches alcohol of cigarettes but Kate lives with them daily. Catherine is a virtuous woman which obviously disturbs Kate considerably. Catherine is harmless and cannot commit murder but Kate would.

The conclusion is that Catherine is a real schizophrenic which is a mental disorder characterized by a breakdown of thought processes and by poor emotional responsiveness.

The truth is schizophrenia can be successfully managed. If one is able to identifying the signs and symptoms at first hand. Most cases of schizophrenia appear in the late teens or early adulthood. However, schizophrenia can appear for the first time in middle age or even later as in Mrs Catherine Williams.

For a long time it has been widely thought that personality disorders are difficult to treat because they involve such deeply rooted patterns of thoughts, feelings and ways of relating to others.”

6

The Police Inspector's statement.

“Doubts remain as to whether Mrs Catherine Williams killed the man in his apartment. At the time she did not confess but when under the identity of Kate she voluntary admitted committing the crime. Her husband and the people who knew her personally did not believe her capable of the vicious crimes.

It is illegal to imprison an insane person, but since then not one defendant has succeeded in overturning a prison sentence based on mental illness, and many have been committed to mental institutions while they were still delusional. The Courts ruled out that a criminal who suffers from schizophrenia, and set free may allow more mentally ill condemned prisoners to contest their prison or committal sentences.

Mrs Catherine Williams eventually has been committed to an asylum where she still assumes the identity of Kate Williams.”

End