Excerpt from "Ivory Tower of Judgment"

The sunrays illuminated the court house. A light blue sky rendered the picture all the more positive. On the steps leading to the big and ornate door stood the lawyers. 

Paul, Amy’s son, had been called by surprise the day before:

“I’m in a meeting, please don’t interrupt for now,” he said to the young secretary but she insisted. When the rendez-vous was over Paul hastily rushed out of his office, reaching for the car keys in his pocket. 

On the road to the big city he remembered the situation as it used to be a year back. He was then trying to reestablish contact with his cousin from the United States. Actually Paul had never personally felt the shift between the families. He would send letters and cards to his aunt and uncle, he would communicate via email with his cousin. 

Then he thought about the day he picked her up in Paris and drove her all the way down to their town. The sun had been light that day and his wife had prepared lunch. Once the car was parked and they had reached the door of Paul’s house his cousin said: “Here you are, those presents are for your kids,” she handed a bag and sourly smiled at Paul “I’m going to take a walk across town and enjoy the day, cheers!” the girl would turn on her heels and walk away. Stunned, Paul remained on the walkway for a couple of minutes, his mouth ajar. His cousin didn’t turn back a single time, stressing the stupidity of her action. 

The lawyer stood up and faced the judge.

“My Honor, let me state the facts to start with. A family arrangement is at the basis of this incident.”

“I take it the company VFC is pursuing Mr Dahl for fraud,” the judge clearly stated the facts that joined the two parties. Another lawyer stood up and started:

“My Honor, could we not start with a plain explanation of the facts so as to have a clearer vision of 

the situation back then?”

An insolent voice interrupted: “My clients are upset by the way this situation was handled. There was money at stake and therefore responsibilities should have been taken more seriously here…” The hall grew more loudly and for a moment everyone was speaking at once. 

Three heavy knocks on the judge’s desk restored silence again:

“Gentlemen, gentlemen… Facts are facts and it seems to me these are all past now, right?” the judge turned his head to face the secretary typing the whole scene and he openly grinned at her. The judge cleared his throat and went on:

“First, I’d like to welcome and thank each of you for making this international audience come true!” The lawyers saw each other as legal pairs and smiled at another: French, German and American united in one hall, in Paris. The judge pursued: “This is a long trial and the best for the audience and the court would be to state the facts clearly in the session today. Thus, the Jury would listen to all of the facts enumerated and listed by each of the lawyers here present.”[...]

© 2011 Matt Oehler