author's notes: a missing scene from "Everyone has a Brother-in-law", sparked by whirlyite's fic..."Perhaps not the best idea".

Here is the Cooler

Here is the cooler; one man cannot sleep.

~0~

Here is a blanket, quite threadbare, too thin;

Which fails to keep any chills out, or warmth in.

~0~

Here is an ankle, just starting to swell,

And a graze to one calf, from a ricocheted shell,

And a deep, nagging ache in one shoulder as well.

~0~

Here is the cup he has hurled to the ground,

And the tray; with inedible food scattered round.

No comfort, no stray cigarettes to be found;

And a silence so deep, he can hear his heart pound.

~0~

Here is the nightmare which jarred him awake;

As his pulse beats too fast, and his hands start to shake,

And he broods on the risks he was ordered to take

At the word of a traitor, his guvnor's mistake;

And his recent close call in that rigged prison break.

~0~

Here is the panic and fear he denied,

Under lighthearted banter developed to hide

All the bleak, inexpressible thoughts, deep inside.

And here is the act he puts on to provide

Light relief in the dark; sleight of hand, mask applied;

And the truths which he'll never reveal; stubborn pride.

~0~

Here is one night, there are twenty nine more;

A prospect he's often been faced with before.

A regular guest, he's aware of the score.

And here is a soft, tapping noise from the floor;

And the harsh scraping sound of a shifting trap door;

And a slight apprehension he cannot ignore

At the pending intrusion; what might lie in store.

~0~

Here is a friend he can greet with good grace;

A small worried Frenchman, a heartfelt embrace;

A mug, and a simple warm meal set in place.

A pack of purloined cigarettes, just in case.

A second arrival...he steps back a pace,

For here is the man he's reluctant to face.

~0~

Here is a meeting with tension stretched tight;

An account of decisions made calmly in spite

Of the danger which lurked at the barbed wire that night;

And the sound of the gunfire which ended his flight;

And his sense of betrayal, the heart-stopping fright.

~0~

Here is the burden, the weight of demands

Which are placed on a leader, men's lives in his hands;

And regret at the outcome of certain commands.

And here is the hope that this man understands.

~0~

Here is the balance of gain against cost;

And the welcome sarcastic and barbed, brief riposte,

Which suggests to those present that all is not lost.

~0~

Here is a smile, as two men leave the cell;

The unspoken conclusion that all will be well.

~0~

Here is the cooler; one man fast asleep.

~0~