"Stay put." His direct, piercing eye contact and gravelly tone made it very clear that this was a command and not a request. A first order masochist, I sat back down on my hard chair and embraced the stinging burn, while I waited for him to shake hands and dismiss people at the door. I tilted my head down and closed my eyes as the room grew silent. The door clicked shut and the soft swoosh of the descending window blinds...