LISA AND DAVID TODAY: Their Love Story Continues

Hand in hand they walked to the window."" Thus ended Rubin's 1961 story of two emotionally disturbed adolescents that was the basis for the moving 1962 film David and Lisa. This 25th book by the popular psychiatrist contains both a reprint of the original D. and L. and now a sequel, which takes place in 1985. David (who couldn't be touched in the bad old days) is a psychiatrist at 38, working under the leadership of his old therapist, Alan White (now a ""fragile"" 60), in the Berkshires treatment center. And Lisa has written asking to see David! Alan tells wife Betty that his ""star patient and protÉgÉ,"" David, would never have made it years ago without Lisa, his ""bridge to reality."" But David, who hasn't see Lisa in 20 years, is both happy and apprehensive. Lisa is now an artist, divorced, and has long ago integrated the two selves whose conflict had caused her to speak defensively only in rhyme. At last they meet at the old alma mater--meet, sleep together, walk, and talk, talk talk--in the kind of dialogue Stephen Leacock described as the effect of ""two men sawing wood."" Lisa attempts to pry David out of the security of the center to greater challenges. But David is afraid. Alan too has a problem: he is loath to lose David from his life and from the center. However, all hands finally talk, talk, talk to a satisfying close. Who would have thought that two fascinating and appealing handicapped people would grow up to be dull as ditchwater? However, this may interest those who wish to take a sentimental journey with the pair who lost credibility as soon as they left that window.