Take Your Medicine.

"Dr Pico will see you now", said the nurse to the waiting man.

She was pleased to get rid of him. He always came in a good hour too early for his appointment & sat there with a creepy grin, his eyes fixed upon her breasts. Now and then he would lick his lips. Not her type at all. She had better things & people to do.

The Preacherman picked up his bible and entered the doctor's office. Dr Pico motioned him to lie back on the couch.

"Preacherman" said the doctor, "How have you been?"
"Oh, you know" said the man "I have my ups & downs."

"Still preaching the lord's word?"
"Avidly. Devotedly"

"How is Wellington these days? I haven't been home for a while."
"Lambton Quay was rocking when I left, I've been in Bali for a wee while. On some business."

"The lord's business?"
"Everything is the lord's business."

"How about the flashbacks? Still troubling you?"
"Now and then... I wake up thinking I'm up to my ears in mud, under fire.. although I quite enjoy them... good memories.. the drugs, the girls... the ordinance, the GUNS!"

"Calm down, calm down..." Dr Pico was pensive for a moment... "well.... you seem to be doing OK for now... no worse anyway... so let's talk about medication for a moment."

"Ah!" The preacher brightened noticably, and opening his bible, produced a snaplock bag containing a large number of brightly coloured pills, from the hollow cavity within... "I think these are what you're after Dr Pico."

After the preacher had gone, Pico sat there for a while, thoughtfully playing with the bag. Finally, he pocketed the pills, reached over to the intercom, pressed the button and instructed his nurse, "Chantal, cancel the rest of my appointments for the day & join me in the hot tub. The lord has been good to us today..."