The Silent Minority
Page 42
that she felt more or less the same. It was about this injustice in front of them. The difference was that he was personally involved, whereas she was just an onlooker.
That's right, she thought, he is personally involved and we cannot erase it by pretending that it is not our responsibility any more.
She found her husband sitting in the garden engulfed with his thoughts.
"Honey," she said, "do you remember the first time you were elected as the chairman of the WCFET?"
"Yes Lillian."
"Do you remember the main reason for it? Why they chose you?"
"I don't remember dear, why?"
"It was because you were one of the most respected practitioners of international law in the country."
"Well those were the days," he said.
"You still are honey, one of the most acclaimed practitioners of international law in the country."
"Oh yes? Look where is the Teacher right now."
"I know that the case is not over yet, I know that you won a battle, and they won a battle, but the war is not over yet."
"But honey it is all over, the case is in the hands of the international court in The Hague."
"I also know that he refused to be represented by anyone, even though an international law firms offered their service for free, for publicity reasons obviously after all this interest of media coverage from around the world."
"What do you imply, dear?"
"That he is waiting for you, honey."
"Are you suggesting I should take the case in The Hague?"
"Hmm... yes."
"Are you out of your mind?"
"On the contrary, I know what I am talking about."
"I don't believe that!" he said, and at the same time a tiny speck of sparkle shone in his eyes.
"Tell me, honey, does anybody in this world know this case as well as you do?"
"To that I must say, no."
"Does anybody believe in the innocence of this man as you do?"
"I must say I totally believe in the innocence of this man."
"Well then?"
"Well, where shall I start from? How about from the economics? We already spent a considerable amount of our money, and it cannot go on forever."
"I am sure if you spread the word to his followers ..."
"He does not have followers, he despises this word. As a matter of fact..." and he was whispering to himself, "It was the only time that I ever heard him use a word like that."
"Anyway if you spread the word that you are going to represent him, I am sure there will be few people willing to help you."
For the first time it started to sink in, that he might actually represent the Teacher in The Hague. His eyes sparkled like a kid's; he grabbed his wife, shook her shoulders, and said out aloud, as though he wanted to wake her up from a lethargic dream, "Are you sure dear? Do you believe so much in me, and you are willing to go all through this again?"
"I believe in you honey, and I am willing to go through all this totally."
"But how can I do it? I don't even have associates anymore. Hardly anybody talks to me since that day of the recommendation. Everyone avoids me as they would avoid a leper. Except one, that is, and he is not even a lawyer; he has not finished law school yet."
"Oh, and who is that?"
"The young guy I told you about, that works at the network."
"Well, you seem to be fond of him, so why don't you ask him?"
"This is a good idea. After all I have to start from somewhere... I can't believe it though," he said, elated, "I can't believe it!" and he embraced his wife and started to kiss her.
Without wasting any time, he rang his friend in the television network, and asked if he could borrow Michael the young representative. "He has done some law studies and I want him to work for me for a few months," he said. "It is really important; I need someone I can trust, and there aren't many around me anymore."
"You want that rookie rep? I tell, you he is the most in demand man right now in the whole world. We want him, you want him, the monks want him, and everybody wants him."
"What are you talking about? What monks?"
"The ones that won him."
"What do you mean?"
"He has become a monk."
"A monk?"
"Yes, a monk. We could not believe it either; we had big plans for him."
"And where is he?"
"He is in Patmos, the same island we sent you for a vacation."
Did he hear right? It was impossible!
"Can you give me the address please?"
The managing director asked his secretary to find it, and while he was waiting for it, he asked the ex-chairman, "What is so important about this job?"
"I am going to represent the Teacher in The Hague."
"You what?"
"You heard me."
"Is that official?"
"It is for my part."
"Well, that is headline news," he said, "and I got it straight from the horse's mouth," then he gave the address to him, and said, "Are you interested in verifying this on our network?"
"I don't have time to lose."
"I'll make you a good offer."
"You're barking up the wrong tree. Don't be so selfish, I already gave you headlines."
"Okay then, I appreciate that. Good luck with your project; I'll be here if you need me."
The ex-chairman put down the phone. He looked worried.
"What's up honey?" his wife asked.
"We haven't started yet, and we already have a major setback."
"Why, what is happened?"
"Michael does not work at the network anymore, and guess what he is up to?"
"What?"
"He's become a monk."
"A monk?"
"Yes, and guess where?"
"Where?"
"On Patmos."
"On Patmos?" she said amazed, sitting down on the couch.
"Yes! On Patmos."
"I must say," She said, "this is a setback. Why on Patmos? Is that a coincidence?"
"The question is what we are doing now?"
"Surely honey, you will find someone else to help you."
"Well, I will have to."
"At least do you have his address, if need be?"
"Yes, I have that."
It did not take long. The headline news on the television network was the exclusive story about the ex-chairman that he was going to represent the Teacher in The Hague. They had a story with old pictures with him and the Teacher parading in front of the television screens, and flashbacks of the older story. This was mainly to fill time, rather than as an information gesture.
It did not take long before the telephones started ringing at Adam's Clarke house. There were all kinds of messages, from outright-disgusted people and some encouraging ones, and even from people who wanted to assist economically. But by far the most of them were from agitated people.
"We'll have to turn off the telephones again, dear," said Mir Clarke. "It cannot continue on like this."
"Not before we make some contacts honey."
"What kind of contacts?"
"Some of the callers are sympathizers of the Teacher."
"So?"
'We will keep their telephone numbers, and I will arrange to meet them, to make a Defend the Teacher fund. Leave that to me. You have enough to worry about as it is."
"Oh, I don't know what I would do without you dear," said the ex-chairman.
When his wife had collected sufficient contacts, they turned the telephones off.
In the morning, his wife said during breakfast, "Honey, I will tell you something that you are going to nag about, but you will have to do it."
"And what is that my dear?" he said.
"You will have to learn to use a cell phone."
His fork and knife fell from his hands. "Me! At my age my dear! Haven't you heard that you can't teach old dog new tricks?"
"Not only that, but also how to send and receive te
xts and e-mails. You have to honey; you will be in a strange country for long time so how are you going to communicate with us here? How are you going to communicate with the young man, if you manage to get hold of him? Believe me honey; this is your only weak point. I'm sure with a little persistence you will overcome it. Don't you think the cause for doing it justifies that?"
"It does, my dear, but I am hopeless with this, you know that."
"Look honey, up to now you did not need to, for so many years you were surrounded with people who were able to it and who were paid to do it.
"But up there, you will have to rely on your abilities. You have to be prepared at least for the basics. I am sure, if you put your heart into it, you can do it."
"I tell you, I never thought I would see this day."
"I have arranged for it. While I'm going to organize this business, for the Defend the Teacher fund, you will go to this place, at this time, and this is your new cell phone."
"Dear, you didn't even give me a day for psychological preparation."
"Do you think we have time for that honey?
"I guess I don't."
"Well. Let's do it!"
As soon as they went outside to get their cars, Adam looked at his wife and said, "Here we go again."
"What is that?"
"Look," he said, and showed his wife to the gate. There were about a dozen reporters waiting outside, when they realized the two were coming with their cars, they became so excited that they would not even open the road for them to go through. Finally the ex-chairman had to wind down the car's window, and a flock of microphones burst through it.
"Is it true, that you are to represent the Teacher at The Hague?"
"It is true."
"When are you leaving for Holland?"
"I am going to travel to Holland as soon as possible."
"Who are your other associates?"
"I have one assistant."
"What do you have to say to those who accuse you of backing a dark horse?"
"I am not backing any horse. I am not a gambler. I am merely trying to defend an innocent man."
"What is the relationship between you and the Teacher?"
"The relationship is that