Chapter 13
 

When they sat down to eat, the Judge became extremely talkative and told Dexter all about his day and how the divorce proceedings went. Dinner was followed by more talk and glasses of wine. Dexter watched as the Judge became more and more animated as he continued to tell Dexter about some of the things he was planning for the future. Not only did he talk, but he also prodded the young man to join him in the conversation. He actually asked him for his ideas as well as his opinions. They talked about what they wanted to see in the new house they were going to buy.

"You know Dexter, this is the first time that I have been able to come home and talk about my day. I never wanted to do that before. Forgive me if I'm a bit over enthusiastic but this is all so new to me. I hope you don't think that these are just the ravings of a mad man. I hope not because it's nice to be able to sit and really talk with someone who understands what you are trying to tell them about - to talk to someone who not only knows what I am trying to say, but also wants to share in what I'm doing... I really like this and I hope you do, too."

"Yes, it is rather nice, but you know what I would really like?" asked Dexter.

"Your freedom!" joked Yethro.

"Well yes, but I know you are not going to give me that. I was thinking, with you're being at work all day, I'm going to be sitting at home doing nothing... I think I should have something to occupy my time. Something productive. Perhaps I could get a job? Then we can share Our Day."

"I hope that you are not asking me to turn our new home into a house of prostitution! I thought that not 'renting' you out, would please you," Yethro said. "What kind of other work have you been trained for? What other work do you know? I should think that running a big house for us should be enough to fill the hours when I'm at the office?"

"Come on now, Judge! Were you really expecting me to clean house, do your laundry, the shopping, cook your meals and then fall into your bed and have the energy to be your bed partner? It's one thing to do that here at the cabin where it's just the two of us. But you know that when we move into town it will be like living in another world. Your social standing, your political and professional life will not permit the ease of life we have here. With all the parties and business meetings that we will both be required to give, we will need help and plenty of it. After all, I was not trained to be a wife or house servant. I was trained to be a courtesan to a rich, powerful upper-class man, who would be only to happy to provide me with all the comforts of life in exchange for sexual pleasures. You are that rich man and I am happy to accommodate you. I am your slave - don't turn me into a housewife. I don't think you want that and I know I will not be any good at it."

"You are one hundred percent right. Yes, I am rich and powerful. If I wanted my slave to be a housewife, I could have kept my wife, but I wanted more. I wanted a companion as well as a lover. Someone who would not only satisfy me in bed but also maintain my public image. I do have a facade to maintain and I was only joking about you doing housework before. I was thinking of hiring a housekeeper for the two of us. After all, I would not like to see you getting old and stooped over with rough hands from doing laundry and scrubbing floors all day," the judge laughed. "Even my ex-wife never had to do that and had two helpers to run our home to say nothing about the driver to drive her around town. I will be able to save a lot of money this way. No, we will have plenty of help come in every day to do that sort of thing. However, I do like that you want to have something to occupy your spare time and if it brings in a little money - so much the better! Do you have any ideas?"

"Not really," said Dexter his brow wrinkling in thought. "But I would like to do something useful, and if it brought in a few dollars to contribute to the household - I would be glad to do so. If not paying work - then perhaps some charity work? What do you think? Do you have any ideas?"

"As a matter of fact I just might. As you know the county does provide me with a small office staff and a clerk to manager it.. The one I have now, Machmoud, has been studying to become a lawyer and he will be taking his bar exam soon. He is a bright boy and I have no doubt that he will pass it soon. When he does, he will be opening a law office of his own and I will need a new clerk. In the meantime, I think I can get the county to hire you as a part time employee until he leaves. If you like the job, perhaps you could even study the law as well. To be of help to me you will have to learn Arabic. I might even hire a teacher to teach you Arabic."

"I do speak some Arabic," Dexter said. "Sultan was teaching me."

"Yes, and while Sultan has done an excellent job teaching you the street language, working for me you will have to speak a more formal Arabic. This will also help you with the social part of our lives. In this town, as a slave you could never become a lawyer without a very good Arabic background. However, who can tell what you could become if someday you should decide to accept the way of the one true God. If you were sincere in your conversion, I would have to give you that freedom you keep harping me for. The true conversion of a slave to the one true God is the only way for a slave to gain his freedom."

"I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I do accept the true God!" Dexter said, but then stopped when he saw the look of revulsion on Yethro's face. This was not the time or place to fight about this, as he did not want to start anything at least not at this time.

"You will have to change your way of thinking, my love, in this town and community we live by Shariah Muslim law and anyone who disobeys that law is dealt with and dealt with harshly. As the Judge here, it is my job to see to it that that law is enforced and if you come to work for me, it will be your job also."

"How do you get away with it?"

"Get away with what?" Yethro questioned.

"Living in the seventh century, right here in the United States in the twenty first. You call yourself a lawyer and Judge and you don't even obey American Law."

"Simple. We do it the "American Way". We pay off the State politicians and keep them happy by delivering the vote come Election Day. We command our people and they follow our commands. Our people vote almost 100% the way we tell them to or they don't vote at all. The state, in turn, leaves us alone. This is not the only town or community where we have taken over, and we will someday soon take over the State and then the nation."

"You're kidding me. This can never happen."

"Oh no? It has already been done here in America. You have Amish, Mormon and Jewish communities living by their laws. We are now the third largest religious group in the country. Mark my words; in twenty years we will have enough Muslim voters in the U.S. to elect a President by ourselves! And rest assured we will do it... we have already taken over several towns in the U.S.A. and even in Canada. Dearborn, Mich. is one, Brampton, Ontario is another, and there are others... So far it has been easy. You Americans are fools and so gullible. You accept and think of Muslims as mostly a peaceful people. And that is how we want you to think of us. In reality we are an army that is willing to shed blood in the name of Islam. The so-called peaceful among us support the warriors with their finances and a kind of patriotism to our religion."

"What happens when the Christians find out what you are doing?" Dexter asked.

"Your Christian population does not even care! They are helping us to accomplish our goals even quicker. While the U.S. and Canada are getting rid of all traces of Christianity from public sites and erasing God from the lives of their children, we Muslims are planning a great jihad on the U.S. and Canada. If you doubt this, I ask you to look at what is happening in England and all over Europe. If that damn Diana had not died in that MI6 operation in Paris, we would have had a Muslim right up there in the Royal family. But, England will fall to us soon anyway and the U.S. will not be far behind," Yethro said as his voice reached almost the shouting stage. "Hell! Europe got ride of six million Jews and now has imported more than twice that number of Muslims. France and Germany are just about in our grasp."

Dexter sat there stunned. Could this be true? It was madness to think that this could come about in the United States. Yet when he saw what was happening in France and Europe and even in this American town... Maybe he was the crazy one. In any event he decided to learn all he could and when he did escape this 'Looney Bin' he would have some story to tell. Dexter thought, but who would believe me?

"I'm sorry I raised my voice," said Yethro. "You, as an infidel, cannot understand it now, but you will in time. Many of us can remember when we started in this town. There were many here who thought just like you. They now are believers and followers. Very few of them have crossed over to live in your so-called democracy. They stayed here and became part of us. You, too, will soon realize the truth and become a convert. This will come about sooner than you think. I have no doubt about it because you are a smart young man. I am sure of it."

"I don't believe that will happen. People will never accept a religious dictatorship."

The judge smiled to himself and said, "You will see that what I say is true. I think we will start your education tomorrow. You can start by coming in with me to work. I will introduce you to Machmoud, my clerk, and he can put you to work."

"I better get some sleep if I'm going into work with you tomorrow. Will I need to get dressed up or can I come in jeans?"

"I'm glad you reminded me about that," Yethro said. "If you are going to live and work for me, I have to get my tailor to fit you out with a whole new dress wardrobe. Your sport clothes and leisure stuff we will pick up in other local stores. You can go into work tomorrow in jeans, but you will have to dress up as soon after that as you can. After all, we can't have the clients thinking of you as a janitor."

The judge took him in his arms and kissed him and said, "You just relax and enjoy this new life of yours. You might come to like it."

After they broke apart, Dexter smiled and said, "This is all so new and exciting. I really feel like I'm starting a new life. This is the second time I have felt this way, but this time it is a good beginning, I hope."

They went to bed and the next morning they both awoke and got dressed. They did not eat at home because the Judge wanted to get an early start and therefore had decided to eat in town. After eating at a local diner, Dexter and Yethro made their way to the courthouse where Yethro introduced Dexter to his clerk, Machmoud. The Judge took the two of them into his office and explained his plan to his clerk. The clerk was delighted to take Dexter under his wing and showed him around the office.

Dexter was shown how to file legal papers and worked with the clerk as he set up the daily work schedule. He was shown how to issue court papers. While he was filing some papers, he came across his own Bill of Sale and was shocked to see that the amount that Yethro had paid was so low. Well, $250,000 was a lot to pay. However, Sultan had told him he was worth millions. This hurt Dexter's feelings a bit, but somehow he knew there was more to the deal than just money.

The Judge's tailor came in after lunch and together with the clerk, Dexter and the Judge, the four of them sat down and picked out a few sets of clothing and accessories for Dexter. The tailor was thrilled to get such a large order and told the Judge that he would have to hire an assistant to help.

"There is no need to rush things. Just get a few suits and the dress shirts together as fast as you can. The rest you can do when you have time," the Judge said. "We are going to have to look for a house with plenty of closet space to store all this stuff."

The rest of the afternoon Dexter sat in the Judge's court and observed him in action. The courtroom was the Judge's domain and he ran it with a strong hand. No one got away with anything. Fines were handed out like Christmas presents. Machmoud explained that the money so gained was used to pay for the upkeep of the legal system. Dexter learned that the town had no income tax and very little other direct taxes. Property taxes were set by the state with local assessors making sure to keep the homes of town officials under-valued. The expenses that were not covered by the property taxes were more than made up for by graft and forced protection fees. It was not a nice way to run things, but it was the way most of these people had been living for centuries and, from what he could see, most of them accepted it as a way of life. It was just the cost of doing business and everyone paid the price. He could understand why Sultan would now and then give "Freebees" to some of the big shots in town.

After court hours the Judge and Dexter were taken on a tour of the available houses that were for sale. There were two or three that might be made livable with some improvements and alterations. The Judge was looking for something ready to move into right away. Nothing less than a mansion would do. He wanted plenty of room and he wanted it fenced in and he must have an indoor/outdoor pool. If not already there - it must have space for it. He told the agent to find a Palace for him.

"Even the Mayor doesn't have a place like that," said the agent.

"That's why I want it. I am going to be running for state office someday and I will need a base of operations fit for at least a governor." Yethro bragged.

Later, when they were alone, Dexter questioned him, "Fit for a governor? Why not a president?"

"First a governor - after that - maybe a president! That is, after we change that Constitution. I was not born here and I would not be able to run until it is changed."

"And you think you will be able to do that.... just like that!"

"Dexter, when we take over there will be no need for that silly piece of paper!

Dexter kept his mouth shut and the next few days went by fast. They went to work in the morning and then, after work, they went house hunting. Finally, after looking at about a dozen houses, the Judge found one he thought might do. It was off in a corner of the town. The property had an Iron fence around it. The two-story house was set at the end of a winding road that was deep in the woods. There was central heating and air conditioning, but most of the rooms had working fireplaces that added to the charm of the place. The place was in fair shape but the grounds were rather rundown and needed some work. A good paint job would surely help. The one thing that the Judge loved about it was a large pool right on the back patio. The asking price was way too expensive, but the Judge, in his own way, talked to the owner and convinced him that he should really sell him the house at a lower price. The owner refused at first, but after the agent told him that he should sell now, as there were few buyers who would pay the price he wanted. After considering what the agent had said, he made a counter offer and the Judge accepted it.

The next few weeks were a whirlwind of activity as the Judge had an army of workmen ripping down and building up, painting and cleaning up, planting and sprucing up the place. They really did a good job and within a month the two of them were able to move in. The Judge and Dexter had adjoining bedrooms on the second floor. Although they both needed the extra closet space, they seldom slept apart. This was for appearances sake and, even though they fooled no one, it was good to have a place where each would have his private space. Dexter used the room to do his homework. He needed it because, along with the law work, he was studying Arabic and Arabic culture. The teacher that Yethro hired was very good and he forced Dexter to speak the language.

The week they moved in, the Judge hosted a big party. It was open house and everyone who was anyone came. The Judge introduced Dexter as his 'social secretary' and law clerk assistant. Every one knew what was going on but they accepted this all as a new fact of the Judge's life. If that's the way the Judge wanted to put it, why not accept it? It did not hurt anyone and they had to admit that they had never seen his honor looking so well and happy. As people passed through the reception line, Dexter became more and more at ease. That is, until he reached out his hand to welcome the Police Chief, who grabbed his hand and pulled him close so that he could whisper in his ear, "At last, Dexter, there is no fence here between us. When can we get together?"

Dexter pulled away from him and turned towards the Judge and said to him, "Your Honor, the Police Chief wants to know if and when you will allow me to entertain him."

Both men turned red: the Judge from anger and the Chief from embarrassment. Then, after the Judge regained his composure, he took the chief's hand and pulled him close and whispered in an angry tone, "Do not provoke me, Mike. In two months your reappointment as Chief as well as your departmental budget will come before me for review. As the head of the Justice Department, I have always liked to provide you with all that you needed to function. Ahh, need I say more?"

The Chief had no thought of complying with what the Judge had demanded, however, he just nodded and moved on...

To be continued...

Posted: 10/28/11