Chapter 86

We celebrated our wedding anniversary quietly, Christmas with my parents and the New Year in Canberra with Rachel's. New Year's Eve we were at an excessively snobby party given by the diplomatic community – Eddie's parents thought it de rigeur; Eddie dragged Al and we were co-opted. I promised Rachel I wouldn't be rude to anyone – but it wasn't easy.

The sole good thing, I felt, was that we met the Japanese ambassador and his wife. Rachel greeted him in Japanese and they conversed briefly. Rachel was hesitant at first – I knew that outside of a few expressions she'd exchange with her mother, she hadn't practiced her Japanese in a decade – but she clearly kept up her end.

"You don't speak Japanese," the ambassador's wife said (not asked). She was wearing something (certainly not a kimono) in heavy, floral silk.

"No. I can order sushi, but that's it."

"My husband has asked who your wife is. She told him and says he knew her grandfather, for whom he had great regard. He is now asking about your family. Oh! He has met your father at some function at a museum in Sydney."

Just then he said: "You must pardon me, Mr. Hollister. I was completely absorbed in chatting with your wife."

"And I with yours, sir." I bowed my head.

"Well spoken. Let no one say that Australians lack manners."

"I am confident, sir, that there are rural boors in Japan as well."

"Oh, my! My apologies. I should know better than to make rash statements. I am quite sorry."

"I wasn't offended, sir. I just felt that a retort was in order."

"And so it was." He turned to Rachel and said something in Japanese. I looked at his wife.

"I hope he really isn't irked with me. It was most kind of you to translate."

"He is more annoyed with himself than with you." She bowed.

One or two more words and they were off making the rounds.

"Wow!" said Rachel. "That was an interesting experience."

"I didn't realize you could still converse in Japanese."

"Neither did I. I think it was dragged out of the back of my head when he spoke to me."

"What's his name? I didn't catch it."

"Nor did I. I called him 'Ambassador-san' – honorable ambassador."

"Next year we'll get visiting cards: 'Rachel Eyre Hollister, BA (Hons.)' and 'Patrick Scott Hollister, Ll.B.' Then we'll go through that card-exchange ritual."

Rachel laughed. "Look! There are Al and Eddie!"

They were talking to a young-is, well-dressed couple.

"Recruiting?"

She laughed again, "I doubt it. Not the right venue."

"Are they still – uh – involved?"

"I don't know. I've not asked Al since that first phone call."

"And I've not asked Sarah. Nor seen Henry."

"Not really our problem, is it? I've never known who, if anyone, Winnie's seeing."

"No. There's something wrong with us. I've absolutely zero interest in other folks' sex lives."

"Wait till you get your license to practice: you'll be involved in adultery and divorce in no time."

"No, I won't. That won't be the sort of law I'll practice. I'll go in for contracts or licenses or real estate before I do that."

Rachel looked around. "Some folks are leaving. Let's go."

"Do we need to thank our hosts?"

"I'm not sure I know who they are. Do you have dosh for a taxi?"

"Of course."

Nearly every break or lunchtime at the College of Law saw several of my fellows griping about the amount of reading, or the nature of the requirements, or the extent of the rules and statutes of New South Wales, or the rulings from the bench we had to learn. I began to wonder whether I was in the wrong field. Oh, there was a lot. But it was no more than someone in history or literature or philosophy would have had to read. As some of the lectures went on, in fact, I began to see how it all linked up. It might not be that "The Law is the true embodiment / Of everything that's excellent / It has no kind of fault or flaw" as in Iolanthe, but it seems to be a fairly consistent fabric.

I felt that I was learning what I needed and thought I'd take my chances. The Bar Association required that future barristers pass three exams before registering for the "Bar Practice Course." So I registered for the June exams: Practice and Procedure, Evidence, and Legal Ethics, three hours each morning, on the 22, 24 and 26. If I obtained 75% or more on each, I'd "do" the Bar Practice Course [Monday 24 August - Saturday 19 September 2015 (including Saturday 12 and 19 September)]. That would run us another $5000! Trial by ordeal, trial by exam, trial by fees. But I might be able to work as an associate – a semi-serf – in the New Year. Rachel and I talked about it and I started the paperwork while at the College of Law.

The end of February saw a flurry of activity.

First, dad called to tell me that he'd been asked for our names and address by the Japanese consulate. Then he added that mum had seen Craig as a fund-raiser and that he'd told her how 'impressive' I'd been. I told him that I had no clue, but that we had met the Japanese Ambassador in Canberra.