Under The Pressure Of Extreme Necessity Poem by Charles Chaim Wax

John Dunk slumped
in Meng’s Restaurant
the wine already having
done its work, mouth open
he gazed at the ceiling
Fanny Wentworth sat next
to him clutching
the empty bottle of Thunderbird
and Dr. Arnold Feiden former psychiatrist
at the University of Miami
dozed at the table.
I plopped down, ordered tea
waiting
the three remained silent
hoping I’d buy more wine
“Why not” I said to myself
reaching into my pocket
and at that motion
the dozing Dr. Arnold leaped to his feet
holding out his trembling hand
so I slid him the five saying,
“Bring back change.”
He returned shortly
no offer of change, in fact said nothing
and passed the bottle to John Dunk
who swallowed, then handed it
to Fanny who knocked back a belt of the booze
and at last Dr. Arnold tasted the sweet wine
a slight smile twinkling in his eyes
he said, “Bernstein, a question concerning the mind”
as the second bottle appeared
and each in turn indulged.
“So, ” continued Dr. Arnold,
then paused
waiting for my response
without ever having asked the question.
Silence more gulping
until he muttered, “Eight years ago
in Orlando, Florida Harry Schlassberg,67,
one of my patients
shot his wife, Bertha, also one of patients,
then kept the body in the house
for two days before calling the police
why that second day? ”
The third bottle miraculously showed up
and in the blink of an eye
gone.
Dr. Arnold watched me
wet lips askew
body in a wobble
waiting
but John Dunk
offered a truth of his own saying,
“The man didn’t want to be alone.”