Dibs in Search of Self: The Renowned, Deeply Moving Story of an Emotionally Lost Child Who Found His Way Back

During his next session, Dibs fixes an old dollhouse he finds on a shelf. He spends some time looking out the window, and plays with a toy gun, aiming it at the “Papa” doll and threatening it into silence. He talks about the children at school for the first time, naming them. Dr. Axline asks if Dibs would like a playmate in the playroom, and he gets upset, explaining that while he wants the other children to like him, he wants to keep his time with Dr. Axline private. Dibs goes to the sink and turns the water on and off, commenting on how he is able to do so. He starts saying “I” over and over, announcing his acceptance of himself: “I am Dibs. I can do things. I like Dibs. I like me” (159). He also asserts his autonomy: “When I want to talk, I talk. When I want to be still, I be still” (160). Dibs takes the paint brushes and mixes them up, putting each one in the wrong jar and laughing about the mess he made. Afterward, he corrects his mess, replacing each brush with its corresponding color.