Case 159: Phone Transcript — Multiple Calls Between Elliot Nguyen and Steven Nguyen

05/11 5:35 am PST

Steven: Good morning, babe!

Elliot: (yawns) Morning. How was your flight?

Steven: It was alright. I was sitting in front of this single mom with her kids. They were screaming the whole trip! And one of them kept kicking my chair. Just a nightmare.

Elliot: Oh, that’s nice.

Steven: (sighs) You aren’t even listening are you?

Elliot: (yawns) I’m sorry, I’m not used to being up this early.

Steven: I thought you were up for taking care of Blue all by yourself?

Elliot: I didn’t realize that meant getting up before the sun. He’s not even going to pee. I’ve been standing out here for thirty minutes and he hasn’t left my side.

Steven: (laughs) That’s because he loves you so much.

Elliot: (Blue barking) I know. And I love this big guy too. Don’t I? Don’t I buddy?

Steven: He’s the only man I’m worried you’ll leave me for.

Elliot: No need to worry. Both Blue and I will be waiting for you to come back from your work trip. You and any presents you maybe, possibly, decide to bring back. Wink, wink.

Steven: And I was just starting to miss you. (Laughs) I love you babe. I’ll call you later?

Elliot: Love you too. And sure. I think Blue and I are going to go to the park to play.

05/11 3:14 pm PST

Elliot: Hey! How was your meeting?

Steven: (sighs) Ran very long. And we didn’t end up getting anywhere with the client either.

Elliot: I’m sorry, babe.

Steven: It’s okay. I’ll just be taking a long nap as soon as I get back to the hotel. Maybe watch something. How was your day?

Elliot: Blue and I had a great day at the park. He plays so well with the other dogs too. Don’t you, boy?

Steven: That sounds like a great day.

Elliot: (Blue barking) Some of the other dog owners were worried at first when I took him off the leash. It annoys me so much how people can’t get past the Pitbull stigma. But as soon as Blue started playing with their pets everyone relaxed. He’s such a softie!

Steven: You remember when we first got him? He looked so miserable at that shelter. Our little boxcar baby, Blue.

Elliot: Mhmm. Poor guy.

Steven: Then as soon as we got him in the car he plopped in your lap. And the way he looked at you too! Oh gosh, it was adorable!

Elliot: Yeah, he’s a big baby.

Steven: I’m still a little jealous that he likes you so much better.

Elliot: What? Don’t be stupid, stupid. He loves you too.

Steven: I know, but he’s definitely your dog. He would be whining his head off if you were the one flying across the country instead of me.

Elliot: Not true. He’s whining now cause you’re gone. Listen to him. (mimics a dog whine)

Steven: Shut up! (laughs)

Elliot: Speaking of, I think this big baby needs to go out again. Come on, Blue. Outside, outside! I’ll talk to you later babe.

Steven: Love you! Bye!

05/14 4:09 pm PST

Elliot: Steven…

Steven: Babe? Everything okay? Why do you sound like that?

Elliot: I just… Blue is sitting on my lap.

Steven: So you’re calling to rub in how much more he loves you?

Elliot: No! No, Steven. (sobs) He’s sitting on me. I can’t get him off.

Steven: Hold on, babe. Are you okay?

Elliot: I can’t get him off!

Steven: Blue loves sitting on your lap. Its basically his designated spot.

Elliot: I want him off. He’s looking at me too.

Steven: Calm down. What’s going on? Is he hurting you?

Elliot:(shuffling and Blue barking) Oh my god! Get him off!

Steven: Elliot! What’s happening?

Elliot: (panting) I… I put him outside. I just can’t.

Steven: Can’t what? Are you okay? Why do you sound so scared?.

Elliot: I don’t know. Something’s different. I still love him. So much! But now when I look at him I just start shaking. My mouth is dry. And I just keep seeing him biting me and… Jesus!

Steven: Hey, hey. Calm down. Maybe I should come home?

Elliot: I can’t let him back inside. He’s going to bite me and claw me and rip my fucking throat out!

Steven: Elliot, stop!

Elliot: (scratching) He’s trying to get in!

Steven: I’m getting the next flight home, okay? Blue is a baby, he wouldn’t hurt anyone. Okay? Just… stay calm and I’ll be back tomorrow.

Elliot: (sobbing) I can’t let him back in. I need you, Steven.

Steven: Just… put Blue in his crate for the day. It’ll be okay, babe. I’m coming.

Elliot: (Blue barking) Hurry!

05/14 8:34pm PST

Steven: Babe? Are you doing okay? I’m at the airport right now. I managed to find a flight tonight that should get me back around two am. The client was upset and my boss is livid. Hello? Are you there?

Elliot: (sobbing and breathing heavily)

Steven: Elliot? Are you alright?

Elliot: He… leapt at me. Steven, I just…

Steven: What’s wrong? Is Blue in his crate?

Elliot: He leapt at me and I panicked. I couldn’t stop myself. I was so scared, Steven! I was so, so scared.

Steven: Elliot… what happened?

Elliot: Blue’s dead.

Steven: What?

Elliot: (silence)

Steven: What did you say?

Elliot: (voice breaking) I tried to get him into the crate. It took me so long to get up the courage to do it. I had a whole plan. But he jumped at me when I finally opened the sliding door. I… I hit him, just to keep him off of me. But I…

Steven: You’re joking right now. This isn’t a funny joke.

Elliot: I couldn’t stop! I was panicking and he kept trying to come back. (chokes) Oh my god, I killed him. I killed our baby Blue.

Steven: I told you it’s not funny, Elliot! Stop!

Elliot: I was so scared and I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t stop kicking.

Steven: (sobs) No…

Elliot: He was crying the whole time and I couldn’t stop. (wails) He looked so confused and I couldn’t stop. I don’t know why I couldn’t stop.

Outside of this call transcript (obtained by our wonderful intern, Shelly) there are few public means of confirming this instance of the Incoherence. We were able to confirm the marriage license of Elliot and Steven Nguyen in Washington state, which was terminated shortly after the time of the phone call, and the purchase of a pet license for the Pitbull, Blue, through the Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC). We were even able to confirm the death of Blue from the former couples’ various social media posts about the incident, though the cause of death was not mentioned. We reached out to both men for written testimony, but received no reply.

While lacking an official record of Blue’s death, this is likely the first incident displaying alteration of the afflicted’s pathological state. All previous incidents involved a change in the afflicted person’s physiology. It seems that Elliot developed an unprecedented fear of dogs over the course of a few days which was overwhelming enough to inspire a violent reaction.

(see additional cases 170, 253, 268, and 401 for similar incidents)