The Judge's Priority

"Lawyers are not a very good lot of people. Do you know how many I meet every day?" asked the Judge to Lawyer Lakshman.

Lakshman shrugged his shoulders.

"Uncountable, and you know how many are good? They are few, and like tomatoes, they come at a price."

Lakshman did not say a word. Instead, Lakshman replied with a fake laugh. After all, if the Judge gets angry, his case will take another six months, which he or his client cannot afford. Usually, he never would like to be seen with the Judge. Cause it could lead to his case getting in trouble. But his client was suffering, and he took a special effort to get the Judge's time. 

He initially thought getting Judge's time was tough. It went to the extent that everyone laughed when he asked how to approach the Judge. They could not believe Lakshman does not know that Judge follows anyone for an exotic food date. They went ahead and gave the list of the restaurants which the Judge prefers. Lakshman picked one which was affordable for his pocket and invited Judge in the pretense of celebrating a birthday. 

As Lakshman was recollecting the extraordinary circumstances which brought him to this expensive restaurant, the Judge brought him to their conversation, "Come on, Lakshman, say something." 

"What, sir?" asked Lakshman

"Am I right, or am I right? What do you have to say?"

Lakshman replies with a nod and an awkward smile.

"People keep complaining about Judges and Lawyers' getaway."

Lakshman does not reply but eagerly waits for what Judge has to stay.

"See, Judges' pay does not depend on cases. Lawyers, on the other hand, depend on them." 

Lakshman signals with his eye as if asking, "what does he mean?".

"What I mean is, the case goes longer the more money the lawyer gets. So, they give silly reasons and keep dragging the cases."

Lakshman wanted to say, "As Judges, you can stop from dragging the cases, especially for bad reasons." Instead, he nods as if agreeing with the Judge.

"The cases pile up. The count keeps increasing. Do the lawyers want them to end? No. The media and people come behind us, the Judges. So many cases and the Judges take a summer holiday, winter holiday, Dussehra holiday."

Lakshman has no response. Instead, he tries to calculate the bill in his head. He finished the total and was about to add the GST when the waiter brought a new set of dishes to the table. He gave up estimating and was ready to bring out the credit card, which he only used under emergency.

"What does the world feel? Are we not human? Don't we have families? Can't we get some time to spend with family and take some time off?", the Judge continued.

Lakshman did not have any response still. Now, he started counting the holidays in the 2021 court calendar. He was a mathematics student as a kid. He picked the calendar on his phone and did not let Judge know. 

January, it was four special holidays, ten weekend holidays. 

February, was eight weekend holidays, (14+8), twenty-two.

March, 10 weekends, 32, April (8 weekends, 4 special), 44, May - no court, 44+31= 75. June, it was 8, 75+8= 83. July 9+1, 93. August (9+2) , 104, September (9+1=10) , 114. October, was (10+6), 130, November (8+3=11), 141. December (8+6=14), 155. 155 days of 365 days in a year. Less than 50% felt Lakshman. 

He came back to the reality of his food bill, when the Judge said, "You are silent all the time. Say something."

"I remembered a story my mother used to say. As a kid, I was a little naughty. I was doing something or other, and the neighbors were complaining. My father used to say, "He is just a kid. Give him time, he will learn."  He then turns to me and says, "You are a monkey. Doing all these crazy antics." In reply, I would say, "Who is a monkey's father?" "

Before Lakshman finished, the Judge started laughing. 

Lakshman thought Judge was going to get the context of his story. After all, all judges were lawyers at one point in time. But, Judge seems to be busy using all his concentration on the food in front of him.

Lakshman was trying to get some courage and tell Judge what he wanted from him. Before he could open his mouth, the waiter brought the next set of dishes. Lakshman looked at the waiter as if to ask who ordered? 

The waiter just nodded his in a way. Lakshman understood the waiter is not new to the Judge or the lawyers. The waiter knows what food gets the lawyers what they want.

After almost finishing the dinner and not being able to poach the subject, Lakshman was wondering what to do next? To his luck, Judge knows how to start the conversation.

"The public-prosecutor fighting against you, I know him very well. He was a crooked kind. He keeps asking for adjournments for silly reasons. "

That was what Lakshman wanted to talk about with the Judge. 

"Yesterday, in the court, he said he had food poison and cannot stand. He even brought a doctor's letter. I had no other way but to approve. I was worried."

"Why, sir? Did he look weak?"

"No, we planned for dinner yesterday night."

"And?"

"We had a nice dinner. I had the best ice cream we had in a long time."

"That is my problem, sir. My client lost her house in road extension. It had been eight years. She was only asking for compensation."

"The PP does not dispute that. He only wants to get the details of her house, right."

"I gave the original papers of her plot. The reports from the village sarpanch and also records from the village panchayat."

"What is the PP saying for that?"

"He wants to review that."

"Let him review that."

"He completed the review, sir."

"And?"

"There is a 50 sq. ft. discrepancy."

"That is small."

"You said the same in court. But the PP wants to get details of the discrepancy."

"As the court officer, it is his duty", said the Judge in reply picking his teeth.

"It had been going on now for three years. My client was using that land as a house and farm and, without that, she has nothing. If she gets the compensation, she will buy some land and be a farmer again. Now she is struggling to make ends meet, with her work as a day laborer."

"What can I do for that?"

"I am not trying to get favors from you are anything, sir. You gave the last time a strict instruction. This time he has to bring his valuation and explain the discrepancies. Else, you will rule as per panchayat documents."

"If I said that, I will stick to it."

They finished the dinner, Lakshman happily paid the bill. As they were heading out of the restaurant, the Judges phone dinged. 

"Oh my god!" exclaimed the Judge.

"What was it, sir? " asked Lakshman.

"PPs grandmother passed away. He wants an adjournment on his cases. I should tell the clerk right away to postpone all his cases." said the Judge and left before Lakshman could say in the last three years, it was the sixth time PP's grandmother passed away.