The Frightening Admission of Mr. Prosit [Part 2 of 3]
Comments: 0 - Date: October 11th, 2006 - Categories: Prose
[…continued from Monday]
Mr. Prosit,
Your letter arrived not a moment too late, but I was disheartened at your reply. The situation has grown acute. Simply by virtue of treating the first case, I have suddenly found myself in charge of all inquiries. Day after day weeping mothers and depressed fathers ask me what is happening to their sons and daughters—or to their parents—and I have nothing to say. The university has declined to help and for each day that passes where I produce no results, they become more distant. I fear I am to be the scapegoat for the lack of answers surrounding the matter.
At every opportunity I ask for a sample. Oddly, no one can possibly imagine giving up theirs. Whatever you have imbued your drink with, Edward, it is an habit-forming substance to which there is no peer. Those who could afford it refuse to buy it, and anyone left simply assumes the university will supply me with the necessary funds. At this point, they would need to be sufficient indeed, as my home was ransaked the night before last and much of my equipment lays damaged or destroyed. I would need to use the laboratories at the university, but as I have said, I’ve been unwelcome there as of late.
People have come to call your Ambrosia a window to destiny. The impressions of alternately angels or demons have forced people to do mad acts, even if they were not otherwise troubled. One gentleman staged a gun by his bedside, and upon remarking to his wife that he saw an heavenly chorus, announced he would join them forthwith, and shot himself. Another man, tearing at the air at percieved fires from Hell, also committed suicide by throwing himself out a third story window in order to escape the torture. I do not dare hazard a guess as to the state of these poor souls now. However, it would not surprise me in the least, Edward, if their punishment were to become yours for what you have done!
Forgive me, but as I write this, mobs tear through the streets at random intervals. All these stories and more are due to your Ambrosia, Edward. They consume it by the barrelful. I cannot cure these people by grasping at will o’ the wisps. I know not what sort of process you put your wares through, but it is tearing at the very fabric of civilization itself.
Hear my plea and put a stop to this madness.
May God have mercy on your soul,
Thaddeus Tucker, M.D.
Dr. Tucker,
I cannot be responsible for the actions of anyone who consumes the Ambrosia Moderne. They do so of their own free will, and as I have said before, nothing of this nature manifested itself until the drink found itself in your fair city. My methods of manufacture are pure.
As you have stated, I am an honest man. I have never before combined questionable substances with my wares and I continue this tradition. You must trust me in this. Indeed, I take offense at your accusations that my product alone has caused such distress. There must be another answer.
Finally, Doctor, my way of manufacture and my ingredients—again, wholesome, I tell you—must remain highly clandestine. In one instance of my assembly I have a device which speeds up the capping process significantly, yet the patent filed for this device has not yet been approved. If this information, or any, concerning my operations were made available to my competition, it would surely put me out of business in short order.
I’m afraid I cannot be of more assistence to you at this time.
Respectfully,
Edward Prosit
President, Prosit Bottling Co. Inc.
Mr. Prosit,
I would damn you sir, but I believe your actions already have. It seems half the city of Philadelphia is addicted to your accursed Ambrosia and no one has been able to stop it. My house has been burglerized several times, not because I had anything to do with unsucessfully researching your concoction, but just by chance, as those breaking in were under the influence of the Ambrosia and were rabidly searching out more.
The university has temporarily suspended me and have barred me from any further research into the matter. I am no longer permitted to help any man in any capacity. They cite my safety as a principal concern, but this is highly suspect in my mind. Regardless, due to this development and the continued attack on my personal property, I have relocated out of the city for the time being to an address which I do not wish to divulge to you at this time.
My absense matters not. As you are no doubt aware, the government has attempted to step in and restrict the sale of your product within city limits. This action was met by a rioting so fierce as to bring down a number of buildings in flame. The drink was instead rationed, and sales curtailed.
I am sure you have also been informed of the pending investigation into your operations. It troubles me not in the least that your horrid operation should be shut down for good. I do not think there is a punishment short of the eternal sufficient for what you have done in the name of the almighty dollar.
You are in God’s hands, sir.
Thaddeus Tucker, M.D.
Dr. Tucker,
You were correct in that the sale of Ambrosia Moderne has been banned within Philadelphia. The inspectors did also visit my residence and my facilities, however, as I stated was the case, they found nothing out of the ordinary. It is clear that public opinion has turned against me and although I maintain that I committed no crime, I will surely be punished for the foolishness of others.
In your previous letter you stated that you were moving, yet did not provide an address, nor was there a return address on the envelope. I send this letter in the hopes that it reaches you eventually. At this point such a wish may be moot, but as I have been found innocent by the appropriate legal parties, I have confidence that you will forgive me, also.
Edward Prosit
President, Prosit Bottling Co. Inc.
[To be concluded on Friday…]