I stare at the client, your average man, fifty something who has taken up with a younger chick and finds himself separated, and know he is not going to like what I have to say.
Choosing my words carefully, trying to soften
the blow as much as I can I start with; “It is always difficult
to know with certainty what a Judge or Magistrate would do in a case like yours
but I would say the range could be somewhere between thirty five to forty five
percent.” I brace for the explosions, there is always an explosion in cases like this.
His face contorts as though he is trying
not to pass wind. The news has hit him harder than I expected. Not even
softening the blow by giving him a really low range as a starting point has
helped to ease the pain.
“But I,” he starts and the words fail him.
Solemnly I nod. I don’t utter the words,
yes life sucks and it is not fair, but try and make my facial expression convey
them. Unfortunately I don’t think I am succeeding.
“How can this WOMAN just come in and take
nearly half of what I have worked for over twenty years? How can THAT be
RIGHT?”
As tempting as it is to tell the man that
this is not about right or wrong, or justice or anything other than the fact
that there is now a young child who needs to be looked after, I do not. “Well, you see it
is the child that increase the percent for your ex partner.” I am careful not
to use the word wife.
Seconds, minutes pass and the man stares at
his hands. If he could he would throw something, I can tell from his eyes.
“But I have worked for all these things.
She’s done nothing. It's mine,...” the words trail off.
Again I resist the temptation to point out
the obvious, which is that she had sex with him. Often men do not like to be
reminded of that, some even telling me it was not even good sex, a statement
for which I have no answer. “Do you know how much she wants?” Perhaps it is
not all bad. Some women do not want much at all.
Shaking his head he sighs. “Yesterday she
told me she’d go me for every penny she can.”
A fighter I think and try not to smile. Did
she mean it though? Maybe.
“Why don’t you simply wait and see what she
does?” I suggest for no reason other than to say something.
Again there is a moment of silence before
he speaks. “Should I get rid of my toys?”
“What toys?”
“I have a plane and cars and things. A mate
said I should get rid of them?”
“How much did you pay for that advice?” I
ask avoiding the question.
“Nothing.”
Tactfully I point out that that is exactly
how much that advice was worth.
“So you think she’ll get something?”
I nod gravely, trying to tell this man who
is worth several millions, it is not fair but that is how it is.
As he leaves I know he will not be back, as
people who do not hear what they want to hear go elsewhere, until they find a parrot.
I should have been
brutally hones with him and simply said “Mate, the minute you have children
with the other sex, it is going to hurt in more than one way. Most of all in
the hip pocket."
Don't forget to check out Briefs - a collection of short stories.
No comments:
Post a Comment