H&M A Clearer Picture
Mark sat in the chair in the den until Larry left and Hardcastle walked back behind his desk.
"Judge, I would never steal from you, you have to believe that," he blurted out as he stood up to face the judge.
"I know kiddo," Hardcastle said kindly, but then his voice raised in pitch until he was yelling, "but why couldn't you be quiet when I told you to shut up!"
"I wanted to defend myself!" Mark yelled back angrily.
"I was trying to get him to tie his own noose and you kept jumping into the conversation!"
This time Mark answered softly, "I just couldn't let you think I did that."
"I knew you didn't do it!" Milt snapped at him.
"But how?"
"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Hardcastle asked as he stared at the kid.
"Of course not."
"Look, you've been here for over a year, then he shows up and within two days, you're volunteering to do extra chores, and then he conveniently sees you taking some money? Sorry, but that just doesn't fly. First of all, the only thing you'll steal is something with wheels and fenders. And second, you wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone, especially me. Not to mention that for the last 10 years, practically every time I've seen Larry, he's tried to steer the conversation toward my will. So, I put it all together and came up with my own conclusion."
"He said he could get me thrown back into prison, said it would be easy. I was really nervous."
"I could tell," Milt chuckled, "especially when you almost ended up on the floor."
Mark smiled crookedly, "yeah."
"Why'd you start spreading the mulch at 4:30 this morning?"
"Larry said I was on thin ice with you and that he was here to watch you send me back to prison."
"You believed him? And what does that have to do with mulch?"
"He said he'd watched you send back the others, and, uh… well I just thought it couldn't hurt if I worked extra hard."
"Why in the world would you believe him, I thought things have been good between us!"
"They have, but, well, not last week, when I lost your files, and furniture, and that big weed blocked your target, and well, I thought of a lot of other times when I screwed up too."
Silence stretched out between them.
Milt finally laughed and shook his head, "yeah, you do manage to screw up," he said. "And I do seem to yell at you a lot, okay, I can see why you might believe that."
They sat in companionable silence for a few more moments.
"How's the water heater?"
Mark smiled, "It needs a timer, I'll have to get one tomorrow."
Milt reached out to the $150 sitting beside Mark's wallet. He handed the kid a $50. Bring back the receipt kiddo."
Mark gathered the contents of his wallet and took the money from the judge. "How can you be so sure I wouldn't steel from you? I'm a pretty tough guy ya know, an ex con."
Hardcastle shook his head and half smiled. "I'm a judge McCormick. I know what you are. Now, get outta here and let me get back to these bills."
Mark stood up and headed for the door, a warm feeling spreading through him. It seemed impossible, but Hardcastle had just given him the biggest compliment he could ever imagine. He'd said he was honest. Not only was he an ex-convict, and an ex-car thief, but he was also honest and trustworthy. And it had to be true, because Hardcastle thought it was true. And he was a judge after all.
The End
