by Larry Cottrill

Created on: August 03, 2007

ONLY ONE ROBE (1996)

It would be a good day. The Accuser slipped his cufflinks into place and looked up into the full-length mirror. His white suit was impeccable, and the red necktie of fine silk perfectly adjusted. His shoes glistened like polished ebony. His sterling watch chain shimmered in the light which fell upon him from all directions. He lifted the silver watch from his vest pocket and opened it to reveal its diamond-studded ivory face. He was satisfied that he would get to court in good time he had never been late. He wound the watch carefully and replaced it. It would be a good day.

He grabbed his briefcase and strode confidently toward the Hall of Justice. His working day would be two thousand hours, half of which were for his arguments and half for the defense's rebuttals. He carried legal briefs detailing formal accusations against one thousand souls: men and women, rich and poor, from children up through the aged who had out-lived all their children. But it was the very first case on the docket that gave him satisfaction at this moment. He knew he had the goods on this one; had him nailed to the wall. Repeat offender. This time there was no mistake. This time, he would ... but suddenly, the Accuser realized he was at the magnificent, twelve-jeweled door of the great hall. It opened, and he was ushered inside.

The gallery was alive with the buzz of a billion whispering voices. The Accuser calmly took his place, and soon the court was called to order. The Advocate was at his table already, without briefcase, paper or pen, but bathed in shimmering light of such intensity that it seemed to radiate outward from himself. None of those accused were present, of course; they were busy living out their lives of joy and suffering, totally oblivious to the proceedings that would decide each one's ultimate destiny. There was no jury, for the Great Judge had all wisdom to render perfect justice, whether to determine the fate of angels or of men.

Now the Great Judge himself was entering, radiating glory so dazzling that the Accuser had to squint for a moment until his eyes became adjusted to the light. All other light in the room seemed to be extinguished now, overwhelmed by the effusion of eternal glory. All was awesome silence. The Accuser felt assaulted by the radiance, and his nostrils ached from the smoke that arose from the sweet censers that rimmed the huge room.

After briefly introducing the first case, the Great Judge called for the prosecution to present

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