Continued from July 8, 2009………
There were many unusual moments. On one of those days the old man asked him to drive he and his three sons into town in an old school bus that was parked behind the barn. This was strange enough just attempting to do this safely without the odd scenes that followed in the wake of the old man. In town he bought ice cream for his three boys. It was an weird sight alright, them looking like people out of the previous century, both in dress and mannerisms. When the woman accidently dropped the cone of the youngest on the floor, the old man became unglued. He eventually needed to be escorted out of the shop on a threat of calling the authorities.
On the way back he was pulled over by the police for obvious reasons. The old man got out and started belittling the young trooper. He told him that he spends his time “imprisoning the youth” while the real crime (white collar) is happening right under their noses. He intimidated this officer so intensely with his imposing size and demeanor, that the officer just sort of gave in and got in his squad car and left.
Driving back from classes one fall afternoon, he pulled in at the end of the long gravel drive to see the old man sitting in a wooden chair in the field with a shotgun. Evidently some utility company men were trying to run some cable across the front of the property, in the right of way as best he could tell, but the old men threaten them and they capitulated also.
One might get the impression that the old man just did as he pleased. And to some extent that was true. However, there were some folks after him alright, the banks. On one morning he asked for a ride to Detroit to attend a court proceeding. When he arrived in front of the main home to pick up the old man on the day specified, he was amazed at the sight. Down the steps came the old man wearing the hat, coat, leggings, and high boots of a World War II General. All wool, leather and brass. He looked to be the spitting image of General Patton. It was to be a day of war alright, in court.
As we ascended up the concrete steps of the city courthouse, people just moved in waves out of this man’s way. He just followed, steps behind the old general, carrying his leather brief case. Once the trial began, and with the two of us sitting at one front table, and the prosecuting team at the other, the judge looked up from his paperwork and asked on what grounds the defense was requesting a continuance (after nearly two years of delays by the old man). “Due to an unfair and obvious disadvantage to those defending themselves against a conspiracy of power,” the old man responded. “Can you demonstrate this disadvantage”, the judge inquired. And with that opening, the old man stood and walked slowly across the room with a tape measure. He proceeded to measure the distances from the defense table to the judge, and that of the prosecution. They were closer to the judge by some six feet. The judge had no choice but to announce the proceedings were flawed due to an imbalance of power between the parties in dispute, and declared a continuance to another day. And on, and on.
To be continued………
