The Separation Eight

The Young Woman

The Young Man

The Judge

“You two!”

pointing first at the young man

then at the young woman,

“come with me!”

Standing, the judge came from behind the bench and,

with a flurry of his black robe,

went through the door into his chamber.

The two looked at each other,

then their attorneys,

who nodded their heads affirmatively.

Rising, they apprehensively walked

to the front of the room and,

the husband allowing the wife first entry,

through the doorway into the judge’s chamber.

Sitting behind his desk,

“You, here!”

The judge motioned to the young woman by crooking his finger,

waited for her to come forward, then,

“There!”

Pointing,

he positioned her at a place just to the left center of the desk.

“You!”

Crooking his finger at the young man,

“there!”

He positioned him at a place just to the right center of his desk.

Now using the extended forefingers of both hands,

bringing them to within an inch of each other

“Closer!”

Glancing at each other,

the wife and husband haltingly moved.

“Closer!” the judge said, forcing a thin smile,

“I don’t want to get a crick in my neck talking to you two.”

Standing side by side,

their arms and hands but an inch apart;

as in a field of radiated energy,

as though touched by static electricity,

the ions of each were felt by the other

and both foreheads prickled with sweat.

“Young woman,” directing his gaze to the wife,

“you’re here to petition this court for a legal separation,

are you?”

“Yes, Sir!”  She said emphatically. “I am!”

“And you?” the judge asked, looking at the young man.

“Yes, Sir,” said no less emphatically.

“You are, huh?”

Turning his attention to the array of smoking paraphernalia on the desk,

taking his time,

—letting the two stand closely apart—

the judge selected a pipe from the rack,

rooted the bowl with a tool,

then opened the lid of the humidor and,

taking a pinch of tobacco,

stuffed and tamped it into the bowl of the pipe,

struck a wooden match and drew the tobacco to life.

To be continued

©November 7, 2011 / Mark M. Lichterman