BEHIND YOU

There is a brief reference to the third season episode entitled "The Haunted Lighthouse."

            Fifteen-year-old Will Robinson joined in with John Robinson and Don West in a fight with hostile aliens. Dr. Smith looked on in horror from behind a large, sturdy rock. After their victory, the two men patted Will on the back and tousled his hair, and then went back to work.    

            Smith approached young Will after they were gone.

            "Will?" Smith asked hesitantly. "How bad is it?"

            "About like you'd figure," Will responded nonchalantly, as he mopped at his bloody nose.

            "Ohhh," he murmured unsteadily. "That bad, eh?"

            "Not really."

            "You are undoubtedly brave like the professor and the major. But, ...what else can you tell me about it? How badly are you hurt? Do you need an aspirin? Do you think that that would help?"

            "Why are you so curious about this, all of a sudden?"

            "It's not sudden at all. I've always wondered. But you've never been in a position to tell me, before."

            "That's true. But you could've always asked Dad and Don."

            "Oh no! They'd be only too eager to show me, not tell me!"

            "Why don't you just not think about it at all?"

            "I'd like nothing better. But that's a bit difficult, with the major and sometimes even the professor threatening me periodically." Smith shuddered. "That makes it a constant worry, at least in the back of my mind."

            "I'd think you'd be better off if you'd get it over with, then, and put it behind you."

            "Believe me, dear boy, I'd like to have already put it behind me, securely in the past. Unfortunately, the only way to get it behind me, is to first face up to it in the present, and I just can't."

            "So you keep it forever in the future as an ominous threat, and forever tormenting you. That doesn't sound very sensible."

            "No, I suppose not. But surely you don't suggest that I intentionally provoke them??"

            Will grinned ruefully. "It wouldn't have to be intentional. You provoke them regularly as it is."

            "Yes." Smith grimaced. He had squatted by the boy, where the latter sat on a rock.

            Will looked up, past Smith's shoulder. "Uh oh," he said quietly.

            "What's 'uh oh'?"

            "Behind you."

            Smith's eyes grew wide with alarm, and he whirled to look.

            Robinson and West stood, grinning, a few feet away from them.

            Smith screamed, lost his balance, and fell flat, right by Will. He gasped breathlessly, "How long have you been there, listening???"

            "The entire time," Robinson answered matter-of-factly.

            "Very entertaining conversation you two were having," West offered.

            Shaking his head constantly, Smith babbled, "No no no no no no no...!"

            "Will's right, you know," Robinson suggested. "Find out and get it over with, if it torments you so much. Put your fears behind you."

            "No no no no no no no...!!"

            "Come on, Smith, you know he's right," West pointed out. "You admitted as much."

            "Give us your hands; let us help you up," Robinson offered.

            Robinson and West moved closer, and each put down a hand to help Smith to his feet.

            "I can't...can't...can't...!!!" he blubbered, cringing away from them.

            West urged, "You know what they say, Smith. 'A coward dies a thousand deaths; a brave man dies but once.'"

            "We'll take it easy on you."

            "We'll just show you lightly what it's like."

            "So you can be less scared from now on."

            "I...didn't...think...you...wanted me...less scared!"

            "You'll still be scared enough for our purposes." Robinson smiled his reassurance.

            "We'll still be able to intimidate you just fine." West looked smug.

            At length, Smith extended both trembling hands to the two men; his left was taken by West, and his right was accepted by Robinson. They raised him effortlessly. He gasped dramatically at the ease with which they did so. They grinned tolerantly in response.

            Smith's eyes locked with theirs. And then tears formed as his composure dissolved. Suddenly, he embraced Robinson, as if hiding from any potential violence that may come from the two brunettes, as if he felt safer pressed against the man. And Robinson, who had, long before, awkwardly pushed Colonel Fogey away from him when the latter had tried the same thing, tolerated it from Smith, and gently enfolded him.

            Realizing what Smith was trying to do and why, West gently tried to pry him loose, but Smith whimpered and resisted.

            Robinson spoke soothingly. "We're just trying to cure your 'fear of the unknown' by making it the known, and therefore less scary."

            "We're trying to help," West agreed supportively.

            Haltingly, Smith stammered, "And...it...might...help...if...I...could...only...! But I can't!! I'm too scared!!!"

            Robinson eased Smith back just far enough to look him in the eyes. "You admit that it could help. That's all we needed to hear."

            West agreed, "And we get that you're too scared to cooperatively submit. But you won't have to."

            "Willllll...!!!" Smith implored unsteadily.

            "I'm right here, Dr. Smith," Will assured him kindly.

            Smith clung desperately to Robinson, drawing himself protectively against the man once again.

            Abruptly, he was struck in the small of his back. Smith shrieked, his legs collapsed from under him, and Robinson eased him gently down to the ground.

            "Ow!!! What happened??? What...???"

            Robinson knelt beside Smith, and West stood above them, showed his fist in reply, and grinned ruefully.

            Will said, "You forgot to look out behind you."