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George Pollock State KidIssue 42
The Art of Negotiation
“From the boys in the kitchen,” Billy said, sweeping a hand over a generous table of coffee, fresh-baked pastries, scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon and fresh fruit set up inDirector Carson's office, where the panelists had been herded for a break -- and a heavydose of enlightenment as to their position. “Gentlemen, help yourselves and kindly take aseat. We have come to a critical point in the program.”Vera, David Weatherall, and Debra Florsheim had already helped themselves and weresitting on the couch eating. The panelists selected refreshments and, as they did, a hugecrowd outside laughed, sang, waved homemade signs, sipped coffee, ate donuts andmilled around sociably. One sign said, “Free Billy Stone Now!” Another said, “Justice for the Innocent Nine!”“Nice to see people on a Sunday outing,” Billy said.“I'm supposed to be saying Mass,” Father Colahan said.“I'm sorry, Father, but please bear with me. You came here to minister to Joy Stojak andso you shall.”Against the possibility that his honored guests might prefer to be elsewhere and attemptto go there, Billy had positioned inmate guards around the office with orders to let no panelist leave. Dr. Kurlan grabbed a coffee and roll and headed for the door. He wasturned back firmly by two inmates, both of whom he had diagnosed as sociopaths.It was at that moment that Dr. Kurlan realized that he and the rest of the panelists weredetainees. The realization fell most heavily upon Congressman Waters. He had foundhimself up to his turkey-wattled neck in a morass showing every promise of killing hisre-election -- and possibly his political career. Carrying coffee and a pastry, Director Carson headed for his desk, but Billy intercepted him.“You sit there,” Billy said, pointing to the conference table.Billy sat down at Carson's big desk. Kali, Durk, Angel, Billy Ruggieri and JohnsonJohnson lined up behind him. Rank-and-file guards stood like statuary along the officewalls. The panelists arranged themselves on one side of the conference table so that allfaced Billy.“Well, let's start,” Billy said. “First, Father Colahan has come here on a compassionatemission, having to do with Joy Stojak who has run away from home, as I am sure all of you have heard. I'd like to help you, Father.”He nodded toward the office entrance and the inmate stationed there opened the door.***Joy entered.Father Colahan got up and hurried to her. “Joy! Are you okay? Your mother and father are
 
worried sick. I'll call them so they can come and take you home.”“No! No!”“Now, now, you can't stay here.”“I
can't 
go home.”“Why not? Of course you can.”“Because... because ...”Billy went to her and gathered her into his arms, stroking her back as one would an upsetchild. “It's okay, Joy. It's okay. Nobody's going to make you go home.”While Billy held her, Joy turned toward the panelists and said, “Billy Stone never didanything to me. Never... never... never! My father lied... and ... and I lied.”“Don't say any more, Joy,” Billy said softly, now holding her hand. “You've said enough.Do you still want to release the statement?”“Yes.”“You don't have to, you know.”“I know.”Vera got up and put a sheet of paper in front of each of the panelists.“This is a statement by Joy,” Billy said. “It accuses her father of repeated assaults.” Billyheld up a pen. “Joy, are you sure you want to do this?”“Yes.”“Do you do so freely, without pressure from anyone?”“Yes.”Billy placed the statement on the conference table. She took the pen, swiped hair out of her face, sniffled, and signed.“You are brave, Joy,” Billy said. “Now I invite all of you to witness Joy's courage byassociating your signature with hers.”The panelists busied themselves reading the copy Vera had just given them. One by one,they looked up to see Joy's statement being waved in their face. The panel squirmed,except for Dr. Bridges. Father Colahan cleared his throat. Congressman Waters tugged athis cuffs. Captain O'Toole, trying to avoid the bead that Vera had drawn on him, gazed atthe window. Carson fidgeted with his fingers. Facial parts moving like a can of worms,Dr. Kurlan emitted messages of utter disdain. Dr. Bridges seemed somewhere else, thensnapped out of it.“I am honored to witness such courage,” Dr. Bridges said. He took Joy's statement fromBilly, scribbled his signature below hers and handed it back to Billy who held it upenticingly. No one moved for it. Panelists shifted in their seats and looked around at eachother.Finally, Captain O'Toole, feeling the heat of Vera's fiery gaze, took the statement fromBilly and signed his name below that of Dr. Bridges. Then, as if pulled by an irresistibleforce, Father Colahan signed followed by Director Carson. Congressman Waters
 
shrugged, then signed. Dr. Kurlan sat on his hands glowering non-stop, like a professor surrounded by slowlearning schoolboys. With the signatures of the others, however, our young commander had acquired the public relations equivalent of the bomb.“Thank you,” Billy said, betraying no sign of satisfaction, “for standing up for law and justice. Joy, it's over. Now, please, go with Vera. I'll come to you as soon as I can.”He guided her over to Vera.“Vera, she shouldn't be alone. Thank you.”Joy -- petite, peachy, soft, kittenish, whimpering softly -- and Vera -- dark, strong, acauldron of volcanic fury -- were a study in contrasts as they left the office together, Verawith a protective arm around Joy. The office was as quiet as an empty room. Billy, silent,offhandedly tapping on the table, appraised the panelists. He sauntered over to thewindow behind Carson's desk.***It was a bright spring day with a brisk wind snapping skirts and pantslegs like sails andcausing newly unfurled leaves of the great maple to whoosh and rattle. The crowd hadgrown even larger. Now there were children running around out there. In addition, therewere media vans, producers, reporters interviewing people, cables strung everywhere,and even people cooking up hot dogs and hamburgers on small portable grills. Policewere out there, too, standing by, directing traffic, as if it were just another crowd-controlassignment.Billy sat down at the big desk. He tipped back in the executive chair, cradling the back of his head in his hands, waiting for the audience to reach its peak of ripeness. The roomwas deathly quiet. He sat upright. He leaned on the desk, propping himself up his elbowsand clasping his hands.“Gentlemen, the next scheduled event is Joy Stojak telling the world exactly what her father did to her -- how, where, and how many times. Her story promises to be in markedcontrast to what people have read and heard elsewhere. After that, we will have the twosenior correction officers tell how they arrange human cockfights between inmates for diversion and profit. I will tell how I was put in a cell with Roger Stansky, fresh fromkilling Julio de Cruz, with the intention of having us fight to the death while the guards placed bets. I will introduce the wagering sheet showing that the odds were 70-30 infavor of Stansky, on the strength of his proven killer instinct. I will read from thewagering sheet the names of the correction officers who bet, the amounts, and the totalwagered. I will spread out the confiscated cash on a table for TV close-ups, so thatviewers can count the money for themselves.”Billy got up and walked over to the conference table. He continued,“Then I will tell howthe human fighting cocks refused to fight, setting off a spontaneous inmate uprising. Iwill tell how the inmates, instead of taking vengeance against the guards, treated themwell and even made arrangements for their medical treatment. I will tell how instead of running away or trashing the place, we gathered evidence for our case.“Congressman Waters, I will tell the world about the interesting financial shenanigansinvolving Granite City School, Fairview University and federal anti-crime funds. You'vedone a great job getting money into the area to fight crime. But it seems that a lot of thefederal funds go to the Department of Corrections, pass through the budget of Granite
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