The Gazette 1986

GAZETTE

sepTemBER

1986

as the Firm prospers so, hopefully, will I". He saw his future clearly. They shook hands warmly and the employee left the gold-plated penthouse thinking: "What a fool I was, even to think of increasing the Overheads". He did not see the Boss smiling, the door closed softly, murmuring "There's one born every day". The next employee who came was treated in exactly the same way. His heart swelled and head reeled with the possibilities as he heard Sam say: "One day, who knows, you may be sitting where I am". He left, a happy man, and also a smiling Sam. But Sam knew in his heart that this state of affairs couldn't last forever. And it didn't. One day, one of Sam's lawyer employees left without notice. The young lawyer thought that too many people his senior were aiming for Sam's chair in the penthouse and for him, Joe, it was a long, long way to the gold- plated desk. Joe bought a small office in the street around the cor- ner from Lex Street (for, as stated, all of Lex Street belonged to Sam) and put up a Notice over the door "CHEAPER LAW". Sam watched Joe's progress carefully. Each night Sam went around to Joe's office window and carefully jotted down his colleague's prices. Later, on his calculator Sam

estimated that Joe's services were costing 10% less than his own Junk Basement. Next morning, on the Breakfast Show, citizens of Utopia were delighted to see that G.U.L.S. Bargain Basement had a giant sale, law prices were slashed 25% or more. They rushed to buy. Poor Joe had to lower his his prices by 30% to stay in business. Even that wasn't enough. For Sam soon advertised on his TV a Campaign for Lower Priced Law; Junk Law was now down to 50% of recommended retail price for the following Law Term. Joe began to starve and his wife began to rail him for leaving the secure job in the big Law Store. She even threatened to go to the Junk Basement for advice on her Rights. Sam watched Joe's decline with great sadness and when, approaching Christmas, he thought the time was right he left his penthouse, went down the lift to the street and personally strolled around to Joe's office. He greeted his Brother in Law warmly and invited Joe and his wife to dinner that evening. Joe grasped the invitation eager- ly; he knew, and Sam knew, that Joe's wife would be delighted to get an offer they couldn't really refuse. And Utopia, from then on, lived happily ever after. •

• Frank O'Mahony is a Solicitor practising in Bantry, Co. Cork.

W. King Ltd. We have now opened our new Head Office & Showrooms at 54 Bol ton Street, Dublin 1 (Opposite Technical College) Tel. (01) 731285

731463 731455 FULL AND EXTENDED RANGE OF ALL LEGAL/GENERAL PRINTING

Open 9.00 a.m. - 5.30 p.m. Our branch at 18 Eustace Street is also open 9.30 a.m. -12.45 p.m. 2.30 p.m. - 5.30 p.m.

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