Chapter 45

Friday was a nothing sort of day. All of us kids were in the basement shooting pool, bad-mouthing each other in Spanish. We were getting very good in certain areas, we could talk about pool but not physics. Of course, Mary didn’t understand physics yet. Well, not the words. She certainly was getting the hang of force and angles. Denny and Eddie could beat me, now Mary was on her way.

It wasn’t that I was bad, they were all good. Our Uncle Wally had been over a few weeks ago and was roped into a game by Denny. Wally won but then he had lived in pool halls when he was a kid.

As a matter of fact, he still spent a lot of time in them. Anyway, he wanted to teach Denny some of the finer points then take him to various pool halls and play for money.

“We could make a fortune on the side bets,” Wally told Dad.

Dad told him what he thought and that ended Denny’s professional pool career. Wally wanted to argue but Dad reminded him of the times he had to bail Wally out of jail and once out of the hospital.

Anyway, we were shooting pool in the basement when Dad called me upstairs. Standing in the kitchen was Mr. Hicks. He handed me his typed notes.

He said, “I’m in a bit of a hurry so just sign these and I will move on.”

I looked at Dad and he shook his head.

“We would like Eugene Burke to read them over before Rick signs anything.”

“I don’t have time for that, sign these now.”

“They won’t be signed until we have had a chance to review them.”

“Do you realize you are interfering with an Officer of the Court? I’m trying to do my job and you are obstructing me. That is illegal. Now sign this so I can move on,” Hicks blustered.

Mum spoke up, “Why don’t I obstruct your arse with this broomstick. Now you move on.”

He couldn’t get out the door fast enough.

“Now you are threatening me, you will be hearing about this!”

After he left I noticed Mum was still holding her broom. However, she was holding it like a quarterstaff, not a sweeping broom. I really wonder about her at times.

Since it was Friday, Dad called Mr. Burkes’s office and he was in. We took the papers down for him to review. When he was done he told us not to sign these. He pointed out where Hicks had twisted words to imply that Rick had treated Sam Butler. He told us not to worry about Hicks that he would take care of it.

“How,” Dad asked?

“I’m going to deliver both sets of notes, his and mine to Judge Traul who heads the committee on attorney conduct. It is the word of the three of us against Hicks. At the minimum, my notes will be accepted and at the best Hicks will be censured. While I think of it both of you write out the events of this morning and what was said.”