*

She arrived by cab about a half-hour late, court was already in session. Over the door was a sign saying WITNESSES NOT ALLOWED. Carrying an overnight bag, fumbling with her coat, all while trying to open the folded piece of paper she clutched. The bailiff walked towards her.   She thrust the paper into his hand.  “Could you tell someone I’m here? My plane was late arriving.” The bailiff looked the paper, studying it, and asked flatly, “Is this for the Stone case?”

Carol nodded yes. “Wait here.” He disappeared back into the courtroom. In just a moment he was back. “You can go in now, they’re ready for you to take the stand.”

“Now? I haven’t even spoken to the attorney.” 

The bailiff shrugged, apparently it was not his problem. He led Carol into the courtroom, to the witness stand, where she raised her right hand and was sworn in by another bailiff. The judge seem distracted, absentmindedly turning his chair from side to side as the bailiff continued, “...to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?”

“I do.” 

The bailiff motioned for her to sit down.  The female attorney for the plaintiff, a young woman who brought the lawsuit against Mr. Stone,  smiled slightly as she approached. “Miss Woods, can you remember where you worked nine years ago?”

“Yes.”

“Where was that?”

“The King’s X.” 

“How do you remember that?” She turned to face the filled courtroom.

“Because I was 22 at the time and it was my first job as a food waitress.”

“Were you asked to join the Bartenders and Waitress’s Union, Local 28...while at that job?”

“Yes I was.”

“Did you ever have occasion to meet the Secretary-Treasurer of that same union?”

“Yes, Mr. Ray Stone.” She could see Stone sitting at the table in front of her, his gaze steely, mildly frightening.  She looked back at the attorney, an attractive woman.

“Tell us about the first time you met Mr. Stone.” She leaned against the witness stand railing in a more casual gesture.

“It was at the restaurant. I’d been working there, oh...about a month when Mr. Stone came in one afternoon. It was after our busy lunch hour. Supposedly he came there to tell me how to go about joining the union.” 

“ Supposedly? And did he?”

“Sort of.” Carol shifted in the hard chair. The attorney leaned in capturing her gaze with her marble-blue eyes. “Please tell us what you mean by ‘sort of’ Carol.” 

She took a deep breath. “He said if I was going to continue to work as a waitress I would have to go to the union hall and pay some dues.”

“And just what were those dues?” She said almost softly while smiling at the jury. 

Looking for the most comfortable words possible, Carol was visibly squirming. She cautiously looked at Mr. Stone’s hard, line-drawn face. He looked down at the table, both of his palms pushed against, rubbing hard up along the edge. “Entertaining some important men.” She stated confidently she had gotten the right words. Looking over at the judge she saw a slight nod as though he expected her answer.  Many of the court spectators were also nodding in agreement. 

The attorney walked over to speak with her client then strode confidently back to the area in front of Carol. “Were those his exact words?” 

“No. He said I would have to sleep with them.”

Her face reddened almost imperceptibly. “Did he happen to say who these men were?”

“Yes, Senators and Congressmen. Men high up in the government.” 

“Did Mr. Stone happen to say you had to sleep with him too?” 

Mr. Stone’s attorney leapt up angrily shouting, “OBJECTION your Honor...Council’s question is leading. The notion of sleeping with Mr. Stone has not been uttered by anyone but the Plaintiff’s own attorney herself." He was visibly angry.

“Objection sustained.” The judge said. The sound of the court reporter’s typing could be heard in the accompanying silence.

“Okay. Were there any other requirements to join the union, as required by Mr. Stone?”

“Nothing except I could forget about joining the union and come to work for him instead. I could make a lot more money working for him than as a 'silly food waitress'...as he put it. He said he could send me on ‘junkets’ with these important men. I'd get paid really well for it.”

“Did you know what a junket is?”

“Yes. Free trips paid for by sponsors who want something in return.”

“Carol, did he tell you where these junkets would go?”

“Yes. He mentioned a private plane to Hawaii and a cruise to the Caribbean.” 

”And what did you say in response to Mr. Stone?”

“No thank you.”

There were a couple of chuckles in the courtroom. The attorney smiled. “Was this the end of it?”

“Yes. I ignored him and joined the union in the usual way.”

“Did you tell anyone of this incident?”

“Yes, my employers, Mr. and Mrs. Poulos. I asked them if this was a requirement in order to work there.” 

Smiling now, “And what did they tell you?”

“They told me it was definitely not. No way. They also thanked me for telling them and I should inform them if he ever did it again.”

“So did he?”

“No.” She shook her head.

“Thank you Miss Woods. I have no more questions for this witness your Honor.”

Then came the cross-examination. Dreading this part, she had no clue how they would come at her, but  knew enough from Perry Mason to realize they could twist things to their advantage. 

Mr. Stone’s well-dressed attorney strode up to the stand. Tall and confident he was almost puffing himself up to look even bigger.  “Miss Woods, do you think you would recognize Mr. Stone if you saw him?”

“Yes. He is sitting at your table, in the green tie.”

“What is your present employment?”

“I’m a counselor and lecturer.”

“Who do you counsel?”

She wasn't sure anyone saw her flinch. “Former prostitutes.”

This time the plaintiff’s attorney yelled, “OBJECTION your Honor. The council’s question is irrelevant.” 

The imposing attorney spoke, “Your Honor, I expect to make my point with the next question. I believe then you will see the relevancy of my line of questioning.”

The Judge sat forward. “Objection overruled. It had better be the next question counselor.”

“Yes your Honor, it will be. Carol, have you ever been a prostitute?” A deafening hush fell over the courtroom as she summoned the courage to answer. 

“Yes.”

“No further questions your honor.” He turned to join his client, a smug smile on his face. 

“You may step down from the witness stand Miss Woods.”

As she left the courtroom a reporter shoved a microphone in her face, “Where were you working as a prostitute?”

Angry at the question she spoke, “Where? What difference does it make?  I wasn’t a prostitute at the time. In fact, if you really want to know something, that waitress job was my first straight job I had once I had left prostitution.” The bailiff interrupted her, “Miss Woods...” he touched her arm to get her attention, “Miss Woods they want you to come back to court. They’re going to reopen the questioning, so you’re needed on the stand.”

Visibly shaken she went back in somewhat relieved not to be hounded by the reporter, but now she would have to answer more questions on the stand.

The bailiff announced, “Ladies and Gentleman please remain seated, court is now in session. The Honorable Judge Irwin Bartlowe is presiding.

The judge looked over at the plaintiff’s attorney, “Council, you want an opportunity to redirect examination?”

She stood, “Yes your Honor.  Carol, at the time you were working at the King’s X, were you working also as a prostitute?”

“No ma'am I wasn’t. I was proud to be working as a waitress, a straight job. I wanted a new beginning.” 

“I understand. Did Mr. Stone know of your past life when you met him that day?”

“Oh no.  Nobody knew.”

“Could someone else have told him?”

”I don’t see how. We have no mutual friends and when I was working I didn't use my real name.”

Smiling broadly, “I only have one more question for you... why are you here testifying today?”

Carol looked over at Stone then back out at the packed courtroom. There were mostly women, friends of the woman who brought the lawsuit and other waitresses who didn't have courage to expose this slime-ball.  They were  mothers, daughters, sisters and wives.  Drawing strength from their collective support to speak for all of the women who couldn't was an honor for her.  “I am here in hopes other young women, who may find themselves in a similar situation, will be aware there are ways to deal with people like Mr. Stone. It was a painfully similar set of circumstances, the word games, which got me involved in prostitution so many years ago. No woman should ever have to deal with this kind of emotional blackmail.”

As Carol left the courtroom an elderly, white-haired woman reached out and touched her arm. “That was a very brave thing you did in there.” 

 “Thank you.”