During the following weeks I managed to make some progress with Simha’s matter. Despite its plain nature, the case had some perplexing angles. Rotem’s offer of a pension was attractive. Simha had been a salaried employee all his life. By the time of the accident, he was getting close to retirement. What then induced him to prefer a lump sum. I was also puzzled by his rush to save the neck of another. Why should a street wise operator take a risk of this sort?
Picador correspondence with Boaz Tamir got me nowhere. After a consultation with Rachel, I took matters a step further.
“It’s you, Eli,” chuckled Boaz as soon as we were connected. “I wondered how long it would take you to establish informal contact!”
“You, too, ‘Brutus’ have a ‘phone? Or was Your Lordship too busy to dial?”
“Now, now, Eli: sarcasm won’t get us anywhere. I waited to see how long it would take you to appreciate that manoeuvrings were pointless! Still, let’s discuss the case over lunch.”
Boaz, who arrived before me, had ordered a splendid array of Eastern dishes. We threw ourselves on them. When we finished, Boaz wiped his mouth and grinned with satisfaction: “Well, Eli: what’s on your mind? I take it this conversation is off the record?”
“Of course, Boaz; and – to start – we are not at odds this time. Rotem and Solbon are prepared to be generous: you know this!”
“I’m not surprised: it’s an ugly case!”
“It is: that’s why we have admitted liability. But why has your client declined the indexed pension plus the job we’ve offered him? Don’t you agree it’s a decent offer?”
“I do. But the matter is not in my hands, Eli; perhaps not even in Simha’s!”
“I don’t get it!”
“Simha’s first born, Shimon, who is about to finish business school, fancies himself a great businessman. He thinks he can put a lump sum to good use!”
“In these days?” I asked, taken aback.
Boaz did not reply. Like myself, he knew our young State was going through a difficult period. We had lost our Middle Eastern export markets as well as our sources of cheap raw materials and food. Supplies were rationed, the black market was booming and honest, well established, businesses were going bust every day. Law firms, too, struggled to remain afloat. Only the toughest and the fittest – or those with desirable connections – were doing well. The chances of a young entrepreneur were questionable. My personal chats with Boaz about our proposed partnership took this fact into account. Boaz was keenly aware of the risk to be faced by all new law firms.
Averting his eyes, he conceded: “I talked to Shimon but it ain’t no good. The chap bustles with self confidence!”
“Have you talked to Simha’s wife?”
“Malka Balani is a traditional Oriental wife. She’s terrified of stepping between Simha and his first born. She hopes I’ll persuade the two of them. She doesn’t think much of Shimon!”
“So, what’s to be done?” I asked.
“Do you really want to settle?”
“I do. But hate the thought of a generous lump sum being frittered away.”
“Then we must have a last go: a meeting of the Balanis with Israel Silver, Jacob Keren and the two of us. See if you can sweeten the offer further: even if just by a token. I need ammunition.”
“Very well,” I said, adding: “Strange how all of us feel sympathy for Simha.”
“Mainly because of the injury not pleaded in the Statement of Claim,” pointed out Boaz.
His words struck a bell. I knew that Simha’s general loss of mobility and control over every-day bodily functions inflicted great sufferings. But the loss of a facility which forms part of a Man’s masculine pride appeared more depressing than the rest.
“Actually, why did you not plead it?” I asked.
“He refused to hear of it: said it was too shameful!”
“What did Mrs. Balani say?”
“She is taking it philosophically. Simha has a son and a daughter by his first wife and Malka presented him with a cute baby boy some two years ago. They can’t afford to feed more mouths and their community does not practice birth control. They’ve kept sort of apart. She thinks this injury is – to use her own words – not as terrible as the others.”
“I suspect many women would see it this way. Actually, Rachel felt no sympathy for Simha. She dislikes his ‘kind’. That’s why I am handling the case.”
“I understand,” answered Boaz, who knew of my liaison with Rachel.