Painkillers

Here we see local goddess Ms Arabella madam feigning sympathy for a prisoner-slave in the public stocks. She has brought along with her some painkillers, which she is showing to him as, she says, he must surely be in a lot of pain now after 3 long days and nights in the stocks? She opines that he must surely be experiencing severe muscle cramps in his bent-over back, neck and shoulders, causing him acute pain? And wouldn’t he like to have some relief from that ever-present, gnawing, burning pain?

The humble prisoner-slave confirms that he is indeed in a lot of pain, and thanks the pretty, young woman most kindly for her kind offer of some painkillers. However, predictably, Ms Arabella madam now changes tone, and says that, unfortunately, she has just realised that relieving his pain and suffering in any way would be the wrong thing to do, since he is supposed to be being punished. She laughs at him, puts the pills back into her hoodie pocket, and gleefully and triumphantly walks away from him.

Of course, what the prisoner-slave in pain would really like is the analgesia of her socks on his face. The warm, moist aroma of her sweaty bootsocks would soon help to dull the pain for him – or, at least, make it a bit more bearable. But, like she said, it is not her place to relieve a prisoner’s pain!

What do you think? Should Ms Arabella madam have relented, and given the prisoner-slave some painkillers for his bad back? Or is she right to deny him any succour?