AS THE JURISDICTION TABLE TURNS

I had the most wonderful dream. The year was 2043. I was in a wheelchair. My daughter was pushing it into the Southwest Justice Center (courthouse). The metal made the detectors go wild, flashing red and blue lights yet it looked more like a slot machine. People were congratulaing me for winning or just still being alive to see this day. 

My daughter asked me if I wanted any popcorn from the clerks’ office. I asked her since when does the clerk have popcorn, in my day it was cotton candy. She smiled and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I watched her walk gracefully down the hallway, proud to be her mother and proud that I had raised such a decent and kind person. I thought, “Marla Mahoney would be jealous for sure.” I had read in the paper that her daughter became a crack/heroin addict and Mahoney was at the Ford Clinic. How ironic. 

This was the day I had been waiting for. It had been 30 years since I saw my son, Donnelly, and now I was finally being allowed to see him. He had been looking for me for a while but in the wrong place. I don’t know where I had been but I know I had not been far. Donnelly invited me to come see him at work. Oh, didn’t I tell you? He’s the Adult Protection and Dependency Court Judge. How ironic. 

It was so glorious to see my baby boy, all grown up and very handsome, like his Daddy. I was allowed to sit in His courtroom, in the second row on the left side. To my right and surprise was the adult man at issue. His name sounded so familiar, I’m sure I would have known exactly who he was had I been a little younger when my brain wasn’t so forgetful. My daughter entered into the courtroom with cotton candy. I asked her, “What about the popcorn?” She replied, “Oh Mommy, Donnelly ordered it special for you.” My eyes teared up so much that it was now really difficult to see who that man was that Adult Protective Services felt could not make his own decisions. My daughter looked his way when the case was called, “Your Honor, the first case here today is Case Number 7, John M. Monterosso.” and she literally began choking on her popcorn. She said, “Mommy, isn’t that the man who terminated your rights to Donnelly?” My son said, “Why Sissy, it SURE IS!” We all began laughing so hard while Monterosso’s elderly wife was crying her eyes out. I said, “Payback is a BITCH ain’t it?”