Something You Can’t Understand

Top Order Tight

Ezra’s brown eyes stared off into space, at times stunned, and at others angry and sad. His wife’s funeral had only been a few hours before. He hadn’t even had a chance to take his suit off yet.

Vaguely, Ezra remembered putting his wife’s will into probate and filing the life insurance claim. Since they were a middle aged, responsible couple, the actual estate planning had been done years ago.

Since Ezra was a professional tax accountant, it never occurred to him to run anything but a financially top order tight household.

Still, he never imagined that Dr. Wood, the highly esteemed surgical specialist that had treated his wife would be standing on his doorstep with a court order.

Apparently the doctor had very recently severed his contract with Ezra’s insurance company. As a result, they were under no obligation to pay the bill.

To make matters worse, Dr. Wood routinely charged prices 15 times higher than what the insurance company would pay.

Normally, the doctor’s contract with the insurance company meant he could only collect what the insurance company agreed to pay. In this case, however, there was no contract, so Ezra had to pay the entire amount.

Ezra thought back to the horror stories he’d heard from his clients about things like this, how many of them had wound up homeless on top of losing a spouse. He never believed it was a normal practice for doctors to immediately file for court orders to seize assets in situations like this.

Dr. Wood was demanding millions of dollars in payment for expensive drugs and bedside care. The doctor was a tall, well built man with long fingers and tightly cropped blond hair. As Ezra’s assets were transferred, his long fingers tapped, impatient to move to the next item.

The sheriff and several police officers were onhand at the bank, and now at the house to ensure a peaceful proceeding and accounting. With the exception of Ezra, everyone was top order tight, going about a very orderly and common procedure.

“Dr. Wood, we have completed going over the registry of assets,” said Justice Blake. “The appraised value of the house and the other listed assets covers your claim, leaving just the decedent’s life insurance.”

Dr. Wood looked at his watch and huffed. What a boring affair. Plus, he was still mildly ticked at his receptionist for implying he should have brought flowers to the home of the decedent.

“How much is the life insurance for?”

“$20,000,” said Sheriff Johnson.

“I’ll have to call Marsha and make sure she got all the billing done. I don’t recall her billing for the last day of ICU monitoring, plus the discharge paperwork.”

Justice Blake moved quickly to stand next to the doctor.

“She never does finish the billing, though I’ll never know why”, Dr. Woods said rolling his eyes. “There’s another $20,000 due from the decedent’s estate, I’m certain of it.”

“Oh, I wasn’t aware. Just tell me how I can help make sure you get all the money you deserve.”

Dr. Wood stepped away from the judge; who stood still, uncertain of what to do next. She’d just been snubbed and wasn’t sure how to go about asking if the exalted doctor would be at the wine tasting event later that evening.

Dr. Wood turned from the judge and watched Ezra out of the corner of his eye as he flipped through his phone’s contact list.

His mind shifted to Jenny’s thighs and and breasts. Marriage was no obstacle to his appetite for other women. For a second, he considered Justice Blake. She could be useful to him, but he wasn’t interested in her type.

Ezra’s eyes shifted to an old desk where he and his wife used to keep stationary and pens for quick notes. In the center of the desk, sat a small black notebook.

Dr. Woods watched as Ezra slowly moved towards the desk. It seemed as if he wasn’t trying to draw attention to himself. When he reached the desk, his hand covered the book.

“Yes, that’s the account. Fax the information immediately to the court, and see that Justice Blake is notified of the addendum. I’m at the decedent’s house now and want to wrap this up in the next 10 minutes sharp.”

Dr. Wood sailed over to Ezra, flipped through his contacts, and tapped another number. Jenny had been dropping hints about a $20,000 sable fur coat. As long as she wasn’t asking for an engagement ring.

While the call was connecting, Dr. Wood tapped Ezra on the shoulder. “What’s that in your hand?”

Dr. Wood huffed impatiently and rocked on his heels as Ezra’s mouth worked slowly. “It’s something you can’t understand.”

“Hah! It’s my property now, so give it to me at once!”

As Ezra’s hand slowly moved, Dr. Wood snatched the book away. “Yes, that’s the very coat my wife has been drooling over.”

Dr. Wood shifted the phone so it stayed in place between his shoulder and ear. Idly, he thumbed through the little black book, and then turned it over.

Each unlined page was empty. There were no special press markings on the back. It was just a dollar store notebook, slightly worn, and of no real value.

“I’ve come into a bit of extra money and decided to surprise her. I’ll be around in oh… say half an hour to pick it up.”

Ezra’s eyes remained focused on the book, as if it was a lifeline.

Dr. Wood put his phone away, and then stroked the book for a few seconds as he looked at Ezra.

“Well, the book has very little monetary value, however every penny towards your debt helps.” And with that, he jammed the book in the pocket with his phone and strode away.

Low and Loose

Shaking and cold, Dr. Wood cringed into the recessed doorway of the furrier shop. Of its own will, his hand reached into his tattered pocket and stroked the little black book.

Inside the shop, the attendant saw a beggar hiding in the doorway and promptly dialed the police. Vagrants were just so very bad for business.

Unaware, Dr. Wood’s mind shifted to that afternoon. He’d arrived at the furrier to pick up the sable coat for his lover. What was her name?

He had meant to toss that cheap little book into the trash, but it never happened. It sat in his hand, night after night, drink after drink.

The drinks got more common and stiffer, his hands got shaky and his judgment worse. No liability insurance carrier would take him on and the state revoked his license for gross negligence.

What was four lives compared to finding out precisely what was in that book he couldn’t understand? It ate at him, frustrated him, and entranced him.

The little black book had become worn from all the times Dr. Wood took it out and looked through it.

As he thumbed through it yet again, his hand stilled and he listened. No, there was no one coming after him.

He’d been run off from a dumpster by other homeless people looking for food. At first, they would leave it at that. Of late, some had taken a dislike to him and things were getting dangerous.

Lazily, a thought drifted through his mind. It had to be the book that destroyed his life. Wasn’t it?

That beautiful day a year ago, all had been quiet as he prepared to exit the furrier. Outside, animal rights activists gathered to protest, just as they did every other afternoon.

It had mattered nothing to Dr. Wood as he was deeply involved in a racy conversation with is lover. What was her name again? His stomach growled from lack of food as he tried to remember.

And then it happened. One of the activists had attempted to thrust a flyer into his hand while another captured a video of the encounter.

Before Dr. Wood knew it, his phone went flying out of his hand. Upon landing, the speaker phone clicked on.

“Oh, I CAN’T wait to see what you’ve got for me! Does your stupid old wife know? Oh never mind, I’ve got an extra pair of your pants here all ready for later...”

In sickening slow motion, flashes paraded in front of his eyes.

The moment the activists realized it was the esteemed Dr. Wood, and that he had a lover.

When he got home, his wife was watching all four major local news channels while talking to the divorce lawyer.

The morning of his dismissal, when the hospital security guards gathered up his belongings. He’d been thumbing through the book, a mug of whiskey with just enough coffee to hide it sitting on his desk.

Colleague after colleague suddenly having houses renovated. There was no place for him to stay, not even family would take him in.

“Sir, unless you have business in the shop, you’ll have to move on.”

Dr. Wood didn’t have to turn to know a police officer was standing next to him. Still, his hand caressed the little black book.

The police officer took out his ticket pad and began writing.

“Sir, you will need to leave this premises immediately unless you have business to attend.”

Three Days Later

Justice Blake looked out over the court and nodded in satisfaction. Everything was in top order tight, just as it should be.

She gave a signal, and watched as a vagrant was pushed into position before her.

Almost immediately she recognized Dr. Wood. Later on, she’d dwell about the scandalous fall of the highly esteemed doctor. For now, though, she had to dispense justice and move on to the next case.

The police officer that had removed Dr. Wood from the furrier’s doorway quickly read out the vagrancy related citations.

“Do you have anything to say on your own behalf?”

Dr. Wood remained silent. His eyes shifted to the bench, where he saw a sealed plastic bag.

“Very well then. You are fined $250.00 or 6 weeks in jail for loitering and vagrancy.”

Next she lifted up the bag so everyone could see it. Dr. Wood’s eyes immediately focused on the little black book. He stumbled forward, handcuffed hands reaching out for it.

“Since you have no money and this little black book is your only asset, you will be escorted to upstairs to the jail immediately.”

“My book. Something you can’t understand...”

Justice Blake tilted her head and looked at Dr. Wood. “What of it? You have no assets to cover your debt to society. It will remain property of the court until it can be auctioned off or used in some other way to satisfy your debt.”

As Dr. Wood was led away, Justice Blake absently stuffed the little black book into her robes. She’d use the book for taking notes or something such. Wasn’t much need for that as she ran a top order tight court.

But then again... you never know how it goes with things you can’t understand.