Trial

                                                                            Trial



                                   The judge was a stern old bird with twisted eyes and a semi-wrinkled brow. The DA was an angry twerp with a brass monocle covering her left eye. The accused was a young woman in her early twenties with a bright look across her face. The witness, a middle-aged man with a buff body (who was also the accuser and victim) smiled an unhappy grin as the proceedings began.

　

                                  Sitting in the accused box while daydreaming of being anywhere else, the young woman: Stella Simpson showed a mixture of confusion and surety on her bright face. As the DA moved in for the accusation, the judge’s eyebrows were raised. The DA spoke clearly to the accused, “Are you aware the penalty for such a heinous crime? Do you understand that after you’ve been found guilty the judge will have no alternative but to sentence you to a minimum of thirty years hard labor?”

　

                                The vindictive smile sent a shiver down Stella’s spine. She cleared her throat and looked directly into her accuser’s eyes. “Does anyone else here think this is the most ridiculous circumstance they’ve ever seen? If I’m guilty of anything it is the crime of honesty.” Stella could do nothing to prevent the laugh that emerged in her stomach. “This is pure, unadulterated, silliness, you know.”

                               The judge glowered at her and then said, “Young lady, you will refrain from making this court into a mockery. The victim of your crime has been made nervous and upset by the crime for which you’ve been accused. Have you opted to change your plea to one of guilty?”

                             Her defense attorney stood up and hushed his client with a glance, and then he said, “Your honor, my client is a young artist who was simply following her instincts. If there is to be any change in plea it would be to include the phrase, ‘by reason of innocence.”

　
                            The judge looked at the defense attorney then at the DA then back to Stella. Mickey, the accuser and victim, looked at the judge with an expression of doubt
and intimidation. The judge then said to Mickey, “Approach the bench Mr. Michaels, you too DA Fitzgerald.” They did so and she continued, “Mr. Michaels, you stated that Miss Simpson was walking by your house on Albert Street, and stopped to tell you that you looked marvelous, is this true?”
                           “Yes ma’am, the way she said it though made me feel like she was trying to seduce me. I’m a simple man who never would entice anyone into inappropriate behavior. She looked at me with those radiant eyes and made the comment.”

　

                            DA Fitzgerald was taken aback as she said, “Your honor, it’s been written in the code of law that anyone who outwardly indicates to anyone else their attraction level should be sent to prison for offending people. Miss Simpson, though young, knows the statute as does everyone else in the community. She was wrong, ma’am, and as such I see no reason she should go unpunished.”

　

                           The judge motioned for Edgar Alexander (the defense attorney) to join both DA Fitzgerald and Mickey Michaels at the bench. Edgar limped over while maintaining eye contact with Stella. “In all seriousness your honor, what was done? A compliment was given and received as a threat. It is my opinion, for all that’s worth; a compliment should be accepted with a thank you. It certainly should not be punishment.” His legs shook mightily as he finished his statement.

                          The judge found herself at an impasse; the laws were made at the turn of the century because people found themselves phobic of other people. They’d been enforced in an effort to calm the populace. Words had become stale and overused to prevent offense, even the slightest, and the language had suffered as a result. She examined Mickey for a moment before fixing her eyes on him. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Mr. Michaels, but you are a marvelous looking man. Stella Simpson was correct in telling you so; however, her methods do need improvement.”
                         Stella turned to the judge as Mickey’s face flushed and DA Fitzgerald smiled at the victim. Edgar took this opportunity to speak again, “Precedents have been set before in your court your honor. It’s high time they were again, don’t you think?”

                        The judge ruled in favor of the defense and it became the law of the land that whenever a compliment was given the receiver had to repay with a ’thank you.’

　

　

                                                                    Finis