• The bang of a gavel brings
  everyone to attention…
  • as the man in black enters unceremoniously,
    walks directly to the raised oak dais at
    the front of the courtroom, sits down…
• and the inevitable rituals of this judicial
  proceeding begin. Suit-and-tie wearing
  witnesses approach the stand on queue
  from the rear, are quickly sworn in and
  respectfully questioned. They tell their
  stories of Latin-named medicines long
  prescribed, behavior modification goals
  sought and missed (lapses duly recorded),
  child-raising mistakes admitted, as well
  as observations of his sister, the one who
  is a family practice physician…
  
  • while the judge, at the front and above it all,
    watches intently and, despite his unruly hair,
    rules quickly on all objections.
• So it plays out smoothly, as if a staged
  drama or well-rehearsed theatre…
  
  • where the only audience of record is
    the deliberative gray-haired judge…
  but sometimes the lawyers parry, and
  in their closing statements tarry, retracing
  their side's most favorable points…
  • which the judge slowly repeats
    in his closing remarks, especially those
    that most impressed him. Then His Honor
    abruptly gives out the sentence and
    quickly walks from that room…
  as the bailiff leads our son,
  without even a goodbye,
  by a side door
  handcuffed
  away.

©2010 Bonnie Manion