Dressed in black that for centuries had been the preferred dress for executioners, Martha Reynolds entered the living room where her husband Ralph and only child Montana (27) waited patiently, each playing a game or puzzle on their smart phone.
"Right phones off," said the majority stockholder of Fluffy Blossom Bathroom Tissues who according to an asset-guessing leading national financial magazine was worth $190 million.
Drinks were served, dark beer for Ralph, low alcohol beer for Montana and sparkling water from France to one of New Jersey's most influential citizens.
"Montana this pre-dinner meeting will, I hope, determine your immediate future to our mutual satisfaction. You went over the top emotional yesterday when I expressed my wish that you dump that long-haired guitar-playing lout Lancelot. Your plea that he was a musician of note was simply a waste of breath."
"Mom I apologise for behaving so rudely to you yesterday."
Martha said, "I thank you for that and that melt-down now belongs to the past."
"I rule as follows, either you renounce that scoundrel or I'll have Lionel and Roy annihilate him."
"No you can't do that mother," Montana said desperately. "That would be murder."
"Oh darling you are so naive. My two minders would simply pursue that diabolical young man in his vehicle aggressively until the simpleton choses to drive beyond his capabilities and fuelled on drugs would drive himself off the road and into oblivion. My guys will ensure privacy to ensure there are no witnesses and are unlikely to admit being ordered to play road raging with your ferret-looking scumbag."
"You bitch, I dislike you interfering with my private life. However in the interest of family peace I hereby renounce my association with Lancelot Edward Truman and promise not to associate with him ever again?"
"That assurance partly convinces me of your intent darling but for absolute closure you must agree to gain internship experience as an attorney working beyond America."
"Very well mother, I agree subject to father agreeing to release me from my contract in order to achieve your wishes."
"That's an excellent attitude Montana," said her father. "Your mother and I are very pleased you're being cooperative about this as the issue had potential to rip us apart."
"Well said Ralph," Martha smiled.
"Montana your father has kindly consented to involve you in a paid law abroad internship under an international agreement convention that will result in you working in Australia on a year-long contract for a law firm in the town of Red Ridge. The significance of this placement is your late maternal grandfather, to whom we all owe so such much, as a young man first began to practice law in that firm in partnership with two other graduates from his class."
"Mother you can't do this; Australia is at the end of the world. This is inhuman and I refused to go."
"Darling if you refused to go you will say goodbye to your monthly allowance of $18,000. You will be on a good salary down there of course; it's all arranged."
"No way am I going anywhere," Montana screamed and threw her beer bottle at her goading mother who stayed absolutely still to ensure the missile missed; it flew by only an inch from her left ear.
* * *
During the last leg of the long flight, the guy sitting next to Montana went to the toilet and his female companion moved over to sit alongside Montana.
"Hi I'm Leslie. I heard you talking to my husband; you sound East Coast American I believe?"
"Yes ma'am, I'm from New Jersey which is..."'
"It borders New York City. Although I'm Australian I did my doctorate in New York and sometimes stayed with one of my roommates at her family home across the North River in Jersey City."
They chatted about Manhattan including their likes and dislikes and near the end of the flight they exchanged cards.
"Omigod Dr Harrington, you are a professor of law at the University of Sydney, How many students does it have?"
"About 52,000. Montana you may call me Alison."
"Wow that many students makes it a big college um university but then Australia is big although most people live on the east coast."
"You are well informed Montana. I spend part of a summer with a girlfriend riding through part of Montana when I was young. Do you like Montana?"
"I've never been east of Kansas City until I flew to LA on the first leg of my journey yesterday."
"Well you are well east of Kansas City now. What do you work at?"
"I'm a year out of law school and am heading for Red Ridge that is south-east of Sydney."
"I've never heard of it."
"It's a small service town and difficult to find on any map I understand. My maternal grandfather began a law firm there last century and I'm to work there on special visa provision made possible under an international law convention because the firm has a vacancy that it has been unable to fill in eight months of trying."
"Well don't get lost out there as Australia is a big place dear."
"I believe it's larger than Texas."
"Yes by 11 times in fact and it's about the same size as Continental USA."
"Omigod, I have much to learn."
* * *
Montana knew that Red Ridge Law was a small firm but was surprised to find the three partners were its only lawyers.
"No one young wants to work out here," Reg Day the managing partner said.
Reg was 59, Bert Saddler was 58 and Wendy Flynn was 51. None was related to an original partner.
Montana was introduced to the support staff of seven at a special morning tea break on her first day at work.
Wendy handed her a brief and said not to worry about appearing in court without being fully qualified under Australian law and licensed to practice.
"I'll work with applications to get you properly accredited when you get back. It's only a drunk and disorderly appearance and I had a chat with Judge Mercer. He approved of your representing the defendant especially when I said you would regard this as your pro bono service."
"Oh he was impressed?"
"He just laughed and said Clancy Stone has a string of convictions and although hiring lawyers, not one of them has managed to secure payment."
Montana couldn't believe such a small Courthouse existed anywhere else except perhaps in a most isolated community in um Montana.
The police prosecutor said Clancy Stephenson Stone, 38, lived by the river in a caravan that had had the wheels stolen which meant the defendant could consider to have a fixed abode. Yesterday evening the defendant became abusive to two young fencing contractors who refused to fight him because Clancy was drunk. One of them called the police and the accused spent the night in jail.
"Stone are you in agreement with the facts relating to the charge?"
"Yes Harry."
Judge Mercer smiled tolerantly and said, "Judge Mercer is quite sufficient thank you."
"The bastards wouldn't give me their names otherwise I could have handed that information to the court, if it pleases your Honour to know that."
"Miss Reynolds, the defendant is yours to question and to make representation for clemency on his behalf."
Montana thought Christ was the maximum sentence for being drunk and disorderly in Australia execution? Surely that was unlikely.
She began a little nervously.
"Mr Stone, why try to pick a fight with men who have no interest in fighting? Why not teach interested boys and perhaps girls how to defend themselves if attacked?"
"Eh what I do or don't do is none of your business and so keep your nose and your foreign accent out of my face lady and tell me this, why the hell is my lawyer a useless female?"
"Mr Stone if you displayed a social conscience and indicated your wiliness to do something good for the benefit of even part of the community, the court might consider you had become worthy of being treated leniently."
"You don't say. Oh yeah I'm sorry for getting pissed and making a bit of a nuisance of myself by my slight misdemeanour was nothing compared with Armageddon."
"You made that statement in your defence sound very contrite Mr Stone and if you fail to make good on your promise I'll kick your butt, do you hear?"
"Yes Miss."
"The defence rests your Honour."
"Sergeant Rivers."
"The prosecution has nothing to add your Honour."
"Will the defendant please stand," intoned the court clerk.
"Stone you have just been involved in probably the most screwball defence in Australian Court history. Now Stone I too am relying on you making good your promise. Case suspended on the signing of a good behaviour bond but the defendant will be recalled to this court in respect of any breach of that bond before it's expiry in three months from today.
"Stand down Stone."
"Thanks Harry."
Outside the Courthouse Montana approached Stone and said, "Clancy?"
"Yes."
"Call me Montana."
"Why, what's your name?"
"Montana which is named after the State above Wyoming in the USA. My father's favourite film when he was young was called 'The Montana Kid' and he used to ride his pony pretending to be that gunman cowboy. Later he resolved to call his son Montana but alas along came me and guess what?"
"What?"
Montana sighed.
Clancy grinned.
"I was kidding. You know I've had the experience to teach boxing. My boxing record includes lightweight titles and I really honed my skills on in-close techniques because that's where one wears down the opponent making him think oh no not another thump over the heart or a sneaky illegal one into a kidney. They stick out their chin tiredly and that's when I whack the chin and it's all over Rover; um usually."
'I understand. Because my father had wished for a boy I had to mow the lawns, sweep the outdoor paths, go to ball games with him and learn self-defence."
"Ah self-defence eh. Were you any good?"
"My record includes four weight-for-age championship titles."
"Is that so; then stop this," Clancy said, crouching a little an unleashing a slap at Montana's face.