//------------------------------// // Chapter 17 // Story: INSURANCE! a Grumpy Goat >tail< // by De Writer //------------------------------// I had to listen to his continual griping and cobble stomping all the way to the Town Hall. Inside, I greeted, “Mol, my lovely sweet heart breaker, this pony is Nox Eous. I am needing Noxon’s will and my contract with Nox, here. If it is possible, I would like a judge to review both documents and render an opinion as to whether Nox is due a refund. If it is due, I will, of course pay him promptly by Secure Gold Transfer.” Mol nodded and went to her files. In short order she had both files. She paused and added a third item from her OUT basket. She tapped codes on an intercom mirror and spoke briefly. She ended with, “Yes, Judge Coldheart, I will bring both of them and all the documents to your chambers at once.” She set out a sign saying “Back in a few minutes. Thank you for waiting.” She laid the documents and the envelope on the Judge’s desk. He greeted, “Gentle beings, be seated. I would like a few moments to read the documents. Then I will hear you out.” For the next few moments, he studied the papers. He slit the envelope and studied its contents too. Looking up, he stated, “Mister Nox Eous, it is my understanding that you wish a refund from Grumpeter Goat in connection with this contract between you both. Is that correct?” “Darn right it is! That contract was supposed to make me rich! Instead, what I got was a bunch of stock that is worthless, some empty accounts and a couple of estates that I can’t even sell because EQNB is bankrupt and being reorganized! Buying that contract near busted me and I didn’t get rich, like I was supposed to!” Judge Coldheart turned to me and raised an eyebrow, “Grumpeter, what is your position on this?” I shrugged, “Dead simple, your Honor. When he came to me, he was all about cutting Coalsmoke out of Noxon’s will. He wanted her to receive the legal minimum β100gold and a note saying how much he loved her. At no time did he tell me and it is nowhere in the contract that the purpose was to make him rich. “He wants me to give him a refund for something that is not in the contract, which was, in fact, carried out in every particular. He wanted both of the estates. He got them. He wanted Noxon’s accounts. He got them. He wanted Noxon’s stock portfolio and he got it. Contract fulfilled exactly. “It is no fault of mine that he did not check the will in the Hall of Records. How is it my failure that he KNEW that the institutions in question were undergoing an audit under the Royal Wing for illegal activity and wanted the stocks anyway? “He wanted Coalsmoke cut out and that is what he got.” The judge nodded, brow wrinkled in thought before asking, “Exactly what did you do in relation to the will, which the contract says is to be made to read as it presently does?” I chuckled and replied, “I called Mortimer Mollycoddle, Noxon’s lawyer to be sure that the will still cut Coalsmoke out, to protect her from the financial disaster that he saw coming. With Mortimer’s permission, I added a document to the envelope which contained gifts that he gave into his lawyer’s possession before he died.” Nox cut in, “What was in that damned envelope, anyway? She would not let me see it!” I replied honestly, “I only know that by hearsay. Coalsmoke said that it contained a note expressing his love for her, an SGT for some thousands from his accounts and ten Bleatin’ Hallow land titles that he obtained and prepared for simple one signature transfers that he wanted her to give back to the goats who had previously owned the land before the crooked theft of it.” Nox burst in, “That gold from the accounts should have gone to me!” Judge Coldheart shook his head, “I am afraid not, Mister Nox. The gift was made while he was still alive and only entrusted to his lawyer to be sure that it did not go astray. “What was the last item in the envelope, Grumpeter?” “I did not see it but the note that she read mentioned some other monies that he was trying to raise and did not know if he would be able to. She mentioned that he apparently succeeded and the last paper related to that.” “From what I gather, Grumpeter, you did not actually have to do anything to fulfill this contract. Why didn’t you notify your client of that?” I did not even pause. “For the last four years, Nox has not merely refused any offer of friendship from Noxon and Coalsmoke, he has been quite openly rude about it. Coalsmoke is one of my few close friends and Noxon was a good pony. “When Nox showed up at my cave and was demanding all sorts of things that he thought would harm my friend, I saw a chance to give him exactly what he was after, do no harm to my friend and, of course, make a pile of bits.” “Well, Grumpeter, since you did essentially nothing to gain his money, why should you not have to give him a refund?” I grinned, “Look on the first page of the contract. There is a box there with his initials in it. He read that paragraph and agreed to it. It says, “The contract is fulfilled if the result stated on page two is achieved, regardless of how it happens. “He got exactly what he personally demanded. Contract fulfilled. Period.” The judge nodded, smiling just a bit. “I am sorry, Mister Nox. He is correct. You did acknowledge the fulfillment by any means. The contract was fulfilled. If your goal was to become rich from it, you should have had that included in the contract.” He picked up the papers from the envelope and said, “At this time I must serve you this demand of payment from the Bankruptcy Court. If you do not sign, I will sign it for you and it will be legally served regardless. “As the cause of both bankruptcies is the same, both cases have been joined and consolidated. You own and have accepted liability for voting stock in both Equestrian National Bank and Canterlot Casualty and Life. The total endebitedness comes to β219,283 gold, 6 silver and 5. This must be paid within the next month. “The Bankruptcy Court is aware that you have no liquid assets to speak of and offer you a release of the debit in return for accepting the titles to both estates that you got in Noxon’s will.” Nox was stunned but only for a moment! “I was just up to Sir Snobbin Realty and they said that those estates were worth over three and a half million! The Court has to pay me the difference!” “Regrettably not, Mister Nox. While the estates are worth what you did say, Noxon had only been paying on them for five years. His equity, the amount that he owned, was less than β190,000. Each payment he made was mostly interest on the mortgage and a small, but increasing amount to equity. “The court will release the balance of your debit if you sign over both estates. If you sign these papers, the seizure will go through and you will be free of the debit.” His signatures were shaky as he realized that he was actually losing absolutely everything that the will, his spite, greed, and his β50,000gold had given him.