‘So I must now ask you Mr Stamp,’ said the judge, turning his attention back to the attorney general, ‘if it is your intention to apply for a retrial of this case.’
The court’s attention swung to the state’s lawyers, all five of whom were in a huddle, holding an animated conversation. Judge Abernathy made no attempt to hurry them, and it was some time before Mr Stamp rose from his place. ‘We do not believe, your honour, that it is in the state’s best interest to reopen this case.’
Cheering broke out in the well of the court as the professor tore a sheet from his yellow pad and pushed it across to his pupil. Fletcher glanced down at it, rose from his place and read it, word for word. ‘You honour, in the circumstances, I would ask for the immediate release of my client.’ He looked down at the professor’s next sentence and continued to read, ‘And may I say how grateful I am for the gracious and professional manner in which Mr Stamp and his team have conducted the case for the prosecution.’
The judge nodded, and Mr Stamp rose again. ‘May I in turn congratulate the defence counsel and his assistant on their first case before your honour, and wish Mr Davenport every success in what I feel certain will be a promising career.’
Fletcher beamed at Annie, as Professor Abrahams rose from his place. ‘Objection, your honour.’
Everyone turned to face the professor. ‘I wouldn’t have thought it was that certain,’ he said. ‘It is my belief that a lot of work still needs to be done before that promise will be realized.’
‘Sustained,’ said Judge Abernathy.
‘My mother taught me two languages up until the age of nine and by then I was just about ready to be main-streamed into the Storrs’ school system.’
‘That’s where I started my academic life,’ said Susan.
‘But I discovered from an early age that I was more at ease with numbers than words.’ Michael Cartwright nodded his understanding. ‘And I was most fortunate to have a maths teacher whose hobby was statistics, and who was also fascinated by the role the computer might play in the future.’
‘We’re beginning to rely a lot on them in the insurance business,’ said Michael as he refilled his pipe.
‘How big is your firm’s computer, Mr Cartwright?’ asked Su Ling.
‘About the size of this room.’
‘The next generation of students will work with computers no larger than the lids of their desks, and the generation after that will be able to hold them in the palm of their hand.’
‘Do you really believe that’s possible?’ asked Susan, transfixed.
‘The technology is moving at such a pace, and the demand will be so high, that the price must fall quickly. Once that happens, computers will become like the phone and the television were in the forties and fifties, as more people purchase them, the cheaper and smaller they will be.’
‘But surely some computers will still need to be large?’ suggested Michael. ‘After all, my company has over forty thousand customers.’
‘Not necessarily,’ said Su Ling. ‘The computer that sent the first man to the moon was larger than this house, but we will live to see a space capsule land on Mars controlled by a computer no larger than this kitchen table.’
‘No larger than the kitchen table?’ repeated Susan, trying to grasp the concept.
‘In California, Silicon Valley has become the new hotbed of technology. Already IBM and Hewlett Packard are finding that their latest models can be out of date in a matter of months, and once the Japanese are fully up to speed, it might even be weeks.’
‘Then how can firms like mine be expected to keep up?’ asked Michael.
‘You’ll simply have to replace your computer just as often as you change your car, and in the not-too-distant future, you’ll be able to carry in your inside pocket detailed information on every customer you represent.’
‘But I repeat,’ said Michael, ‘our company currently has forty-two thousand clients.’
‘It won’t matter if you have four hundred thousand Mr Cartwright, a hand-held computer will still be able to do the same job.’
‘But think of the consequences,’ said Susan.
‘They are very exciting, Mrs Cartwright,’ said Su Ling. She paused and blushed, ‘I apologize, I’ve been talking far too much.’
‘No, no,’ said Susan, ‘it’s fascinating, but I was hoping to ask you about Korea, a country I’ve always wanted to visit. If it’s not a silly question, are you more like the Chinese or the Japanese?’
‘Neither,’ replied Su Ling. ‘We are as different as a Russian is from an Italian. The Korean nation was originally a tribal one and probably first existed as early as the second century...’
‘And to think I told them that you were shy,’ Nat remarked as he slipped in beside her later that night.
‘I’m very sorry,’ said Su Ling. ‘I broke your mother’s golden rule.’
‘Which one?’ said Nat.
‘That when two people meet, the conversation should be equally shared, three people, thirty-three per cent, four people, twenty-five per cent. I talked,’ she paused, ‘for about ninety per cent of the time. I feel ashamed, because I behaved so disgracefully, I don’t know what came over me. I was just so nervous. I feel sure they already regret any suggestion of me as a daughter-in-law.’
Nat laughed. ‘They adored you,’ he said, ‘my father was mesmerized by your knowledge of computers, and my mother fascinated by the customs of Korea, though you didn’t mention what has to take place if a Korean girl takes tea with her suitor’s parents.’
‘That doesn’t apply to a first generation American, like myself.’
‘Who wears pink lipstick and mini skirts,’ said Nat, holding up a tube of pink lipstick.
‘I didn’t know you used lipstick, Nat. Another habit you picked up in Vietnam?’
‘Only on night ops, now turn over.’
‘Turn over?’
‘Yes,’ said Nat firmly, ‘I thought Korean women were meant to be subservient, so do as you’re told and turn over.’
Su Ling turned over, and placed her face down on the pillow. ‘What is your next order, Captain Cartwright?’
‘To take off your nightdress, little flower.’
‘Does this happen to all American girls on the second night?’
‘Take off your nightdress.’
‘Yes, captain.’ She slowly pulled her white silk nightdress over the top of her head, and dropped it on the floor. ‘What next,’ she asked. ‘Is it now that you beat me?’
‘No, that doesn’t happen until the third date, but I am going to ask you a question.’ Nat took the pink lipstick and wrote four words on her olive skin, followed by a question mark.
‘What have you written, Captain Cartwright?’
‘Why don’t you find out for yourself?’
Su Ling climbed off the bed and stared over her shoulder into the long mirror. It was some time before a smile spread across her face. She turned to find Nat lying spread-eagled on the bed, holding the lipstick high above his head. Su Ling walked slowly across, grabbed the lipstick, stared down at his broad shoulders for some time, before she wrote the words, YES I WILL.
21
‘Annie’s pregnant.’
‘That’s wonderful news,’ said Jimmy as they left the dining hall and strolled across the campus for their first lecture of the morning. ‘How many months is she?’
‘Only a couple, so now it will be your turn to give the advice.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Don’t forget, you’re the one with all the experience. You’re a father of a six-month-old baby daughter. To start with, how can I help Annie during the next seven months?’
‘Just try to be supportive. Never forget to tell her that she looks wonderful even when she resembles a beached whale, and if she gets any crazy ideas, just play along with them.’