RaDical MiDDle - ColdType

204 | denis beckett
would simply regard the word in its context as labelling the
plaintiff’s work as bad or poor …”
case dismissed. relief!
I turned to hug Gael. Mostert was on his feet: “M’Lord we
seek your Lordship’s permission for leave to appeal …”
We had had a second of freedom; might have been two
seconds. Martin Goldblatt burbled a crappy objection about his
client struggling with legal fees. That I did not stand up and
claim my own case on the spot ranks high in my list of Great
Mistakes. I was too slow, too nervous, too something. Plus, I
didn’t believe that what was happening was happening. Didn’t
a court case pause at around this point? Next thing the judge
was saying – in a very pissed-off manner, I may mention – that
he couldn’t refuse anyone the right to a better opinion.
I believe I heard Gael’s heart miss a beat. andy, in the
lawyer’s bench in front, put his head on his hand in eloquence.
The orderly yelled Silence in the court and the judge left. andy
turned and said: “Don’t worry, D. We’ll win in Bloem.” That’s
what he’d said in Durban, too. His clairvoyance won no prizes,
but for brinkmanship there was none better.
I walked from the Supreme court door into five minutes
of fame; congratulated, complimented, feted. You defeated
Johnson! Isn’t it wonderful! I gritted teeth and grinned weakly.
(i) I had done nil. (ii) I did not care two cents for defeating
Johnson. (iii) It’d be closer to wonderful without new months
or years of uncertainty pending an appeal.
“Wonderful” was the word for one person, Martin Goldblatt,
new young counsel who beat anton Mostert and had a feather
to pack in his cap as he sailed for australia. (and fifteen other
people got paid for their time, judge and journalists and all,
even andy, from the costs award.) “Wonderful” was not big in
my mind, but it was a lot better than Johnson defeating me, so
… let’s celebrate.
a few hours later our team, plus supporters’ club, reconvened
at our house. Who should arrive in time for dessert, bearing
fancy french champagne, but Stephen robinson. He was