Chapter 37

A new operating model called Bedlam

"Findley Processing, how can I help you? It's simple, really. You fill out the forms we have on the website and commit to registration. We added it already. Or you could come here to us and do the same. The intake form simply lets you get all of the activities out of the way and establishes that you have reported. We use that to file the exemption based on the presidential order and you go home. No harm, no foul and you have complied with both the State Law and the federal law."

"Findley Processing, how can I help you? No, there is no change in your status, a death certificate cannot be issued, and our operations are suspended for at least a week after any ordered resumption. So even if the process is reinstated we have a week to file for extensions and exemptions. The only charge we have is our charges to file the exemption paperwork. The court costs and court fees. No one will be turned away regardless. We do have some applications on file for public assistance but we will file anyway. No, we won't wait, we will file and bill you or bill the state."

"Findley Processing, how can I help you? You want to know how to help us offset the cost of filing for exemptions? Oh, Kathy Hancock. Yes, I remember you. Sure, well we are busy as hell helping people. You want to come down? Come ahead, girl. You know the drill. I must have fifteen calls on hold right now. Sure. Come ahead. You want to bring your women's group? Absolutely. We have to spend some time with them to make sure that. Ok. Yes, I know you know the drill. We just don't want anyone to have any incorrect information. Sure, come on down."

This and several hundred conversations were what eavesdroppers would have heard in the office and reception room at Findley's processing plant on Wednesday morning. For the first time, all the women were clothed, and not a collar in sight. Of David's forty goats from staff at H&S and Findley, and the twenty-eight at M&H, eighteen were sitting in the reception room with their portables, doing intakes and filing exemptions. Many of the rest had gone home to families and friends as soon as the exemptions were filed and documents printed out. Most were coming back tomorrow or later in the week to take turns on intake duty to spell the ones working.

Kathleen Myers, a very gifted web developer, had added speedy shortcuts on the Findley web pages to identify what the process changes would be, and how people would be able to get information. She also added a hot button on the internal process intake page to point to the exclusion request being filed with the MAB in Springfield.

Carol was on a natural high. She and David had a second call to Maguire to talk about the status updates of over three hundred women before noon.

"David, these temporary exceptions we are filing are going to clog the system if we ever reverse." Maguire lamented.

"So, Don't do a temporary exception. Do a permanent exemption. That way the counts don't fluctuate, we don't have any adverse impact and production won't have to do any catch-up when things return to normal." David said with a straight face.

Carol held her breath at that suggestion. David had un-wittedly given her a massive legal tool to permanently close down the entire lottery system if Maguire agreed. This would demonstrate that the state confirmed the executive order as a Fiat Accompli.

"We could do that. In fact, we probably should for production reasons. I will tell Deloris to do that with all of them. Include the phrase Presidential Exclusion in the subject and we will route them automatically like that." Maguire said, feeling smart at having made this decision."

"Ok. I will have all of our requests retransmitted to reflect that new subject line." David said calmly.

After cutting the connection, David let a slow gradual smile creep across his face while he looked at Carol's expression of awe and shock. "You didn't think I was going to leave anyone out, did you?"

"David do you know what you did?" Carol asked quietly.

"I have put the State out of business and given you a whole new brief to apply to the court. Right?"

"David. Did you plan this originally?" Carol asked

"No. But this whole thing was never for the money. That was not why I got into this business in the first place. You know that. If it was going to be done, I wanted it done the right way. And if it is not going to be done, I will go do something else. So. How are we coming with compensation for out of state filings? I don't want to go bankrupt on this." David said.

"I called Cathy Cox and we are working on that. You know, I bet that a lot of women think that they don't have to report at all. I think we need some air time on this."

And so it was that David and Margaret Findley, with other guests, were on a special edition of "Chicago Life" on Tuesday at six PM. Carol was along as an attorney.

"Good evening Chicago. I'm Chelsea Winters. We have a special broadcast tonight on the issue of the women's reaction to the Presidents order. Tonight we have a special and very well known guest David Findley and his wife Margaret. Also with him is Carol Black, formerly of Dewey Cheathem and Howe, and before that, the District Attorney's office. Also tonight we also have Robert Mitchell, of the Illinois Justice Project."

"I'll start with you tonight David. What has this presidential order affected you?"

"Well, Chelsea, it has not changed our front end at all. We still have intake counselors sitting with women going over selection letters, conducting our normal intake and performing registration in compliance with the Illinois state law. The only difference is that we automatically register a permanent exemption request for all of our clients and provide them with a print out of the permanent exemption response from Springfield."

"Excuse me, did you say Permanent Exemption?" Robert Mitchell asked.

"Yes, Robert. Permanent. And I will let Carol explain."

"Robert, as you know, current thinking is that the President's executive order stopped all terminations in compliance with the act. But it did not address registration. Women still have to comply with the registration and report portion of the law if they receive a selection notice. You said so yourself on the early show." Carol said.

Robert had the good grace to smile and keep quiet. He had been quite outspoken that the executive order had not gone far enough, and that women were still exposed to penalties that would be quite expensive, if not dangerous, under the situation that still existed.

"Yes, and that is the biggest hole in this whole sad situation." Robert began.

"Exactly. It is just like the selective service act of the nineteen seventies. If you didn't comply with registration, regardless of the fact that there was no military draft, you were in felony violation." Continued Carol. "We saw that as well. So we decided to encourage women to comply with the law regarding registration and appearance, and that we would automatically file a exemption request for all women."

"I see. And how much do you charge for this?" Robert began.

"The state filing fee is thirteen dollars and seventy five cents. We charge our clients thirteen dollars and seventy-five cents. If they cannot pay, we bill them and file for compensation under the unemployment relief act." Carol said smugly.

"You mean with your surcharge." Robert responded. "And how much is that?"

"Robert" David replied. "We do not surcharge any exemptions or exclusion filings for any of our clients. We never have and we won't now. I believe that it would be immoral. I don't see bringing financial burden on women caught up in this mess. It is bad enough to be selected. You have enough on your mind. I don't want to have on my conscience anyone's additional stress over us trying to save their lives."

"David, it seems inconsistent to be saying and doing this when you know you run the most infamous slaughterhouse in the Midwest. Women are shipped to you from all over the country to go to their deaths." Robert said accusingly.

"Robert, your implication in pubic this morning was incorrect. We advertise and do not individually solicit. We never have. Women are not shipped to us. They apply to us and they come to us for the human treatment we provided to them. I would be happy to provide you with facts about how our operation was conducted. However that is another subject for another time."

"So, David, Carol, what do you advise our audience" Chelsea said, taking back control of the conversation.

"Contact us or any other processors if you have received a notification." Margaret said. "Tell them you want to do an intake with an exemption filing. If they won't help you, contact us. If you can't get through to us during the day, leave us e-mail and we will return a call to you."

"For Illinois or any state we have reciprocity with, we will file the exemption for just the amount of cost with no surcharges or handling fees and we will bill you for it if you cannot pay at the time of service." David said. "Please do not leave yourself exposed."

"David, Robert, what are the penalties if they don't file."

"Robert, you are much more versed in Penalty law then I am." David said with a smile.

"Yes, I probably am. Although Carol is also very well versed in it. Penalties include Staking in City hall. Which would probably run afoul of the Executive order. However that has not been determined or challenged by the courts. The legislature is probably going to have to have to revisit this in session after the holiday. I have to say that David's advice is probably the soundest of all. Registration and Processor agreement provides the most legal protection. David, what are you doing about housing?"

"We don't' house. We never really did and we don't' need to." David said.

"Really? How is that possible?" Robert asked.

"It is easy." David said. "Women who come to us expect humane treatment and compassion. The penalties are on them, not us. If they choose to leave, we don't stop them. We never have. Even in end stages of processing, women were never forced to stay. Remember, the penalties for the woman were always far more harsh then against the operator."

"So, how do you process women now?" Robert asked, with an incredulous look on his face.

"Simple. We take the intake information and use it as contact information in the event of a reversal of filing. We have sent home over two hundred women prior to the executive order for various exclusion and exemption filings. If they don't report back to us after we contact them about the status of their filing, it is a legal issue for them. We are complying strictly with the law. I don't need hold a woman in a cell while we wait for a judge." David said.