Horizons of Heroes Read online

  Chapter 8

  Cameron’s Search for Employment

  Undergraduate and Juris Doctorate Degrees from NU, filled Cameron’s resume as he searched for a job to support his wife. He placed applications everywhere, several on job tips from NU Placement Center. Cameron and Michelle lived in his apartment while he beat the streets looking for a job. He contacted many law firms. Jobs for beginning lawyers were not plentiful and it was proving to be a difficult search. Michelle fortunately found a job working at a pharmacy.

  Over at his father’s home, Dan understood his son’s search for a job to support his wife and said, “son you could really help me out if you could manage a paint project for me. It is huge. I got a federal contract to paint a border station in Metaline Falls just north of Spokane, Washington. I will pay you $15 an hour plus any overtime that you work. I estimate that it will take everyone two months to paint the station.”

  “When do we start?” asked Cameron.

  “Tomorrow. I will fly you over to the job site and you can join my crew.”

  “Michelle, my dad gave me a job painting a border station north of Spokane. He estimates that it will take us about two months to paint it, so I will work seven days a week for 8 to 16 hours a day. We need the money, but I want you to know that it’s going to be so hard for me to be apart from you.”

  Okay, Cameron. Since my job will only pay about half of what you will be making, I guess I will have to be patient.” After a passionate hug and kiss, Michelle dropped him off at his father’s house.

  Cameron always loved flying with his father. Each flight was so smooth as they soared over incredible rivers, valleys, and mountains. They observed the multitude of colors in the ever-changing topography.

  “Cameron,” said his father, “I am putting you in charge of the crew, so if you have any problems use your best judgment to resolve them and call me if you need me. The men are excellent painters so I primarily need you to keep track of everyone’s hours. Just remember, when you are painting to always put a lot of paint on your brush. I made arrangements for all of you to stay at a very small motel. You each have a room that has a shower along with a stove and oven.”

  Dan’s plane landed on a grass field in Metaline Falls. The landing was so smooth that hardly any dust rose into the air. Cameron carried his duffle bag full of clothes as they walked to the motel. There was one phone at the motel, but phone calls were long distance and very expensive so Cameron knew he would have little or no contact with Michelle. They walked to the border station to meet the officers in charge and later the crew. The Metaline Falls -- Nelway Border Crossing connects Metaline Falls with Nelway, British Columbia. The Border Crossing was open seven days per week from 8 am until 12 am. He learned from the officer that the Metaline border crossing was the number one border station used by drug traffickers to try to move drugs from one country to the next.

  Cameron asked, “why?”

  He was told that their operation had the fewest drug agents of all the border crossings in North America and it just became a numbers game as most people would get busted, but those that made it through without being arrested, made it lucrative enough to continue the cat and mouse game.

  Cameron met the crew, and shook their paint covered hands. Four men were black and one was white. It was so obvious from their glowing smiles they admired Dan, the only black Tuskegee pilot they had ever met. Dan paid the men every week and was a fair employer.

  Dan said goodbye to Cameron and the crew and walked in the direction of the airfield.

  Cameron said to the men, “it feels like it is 80 degrees, perfect paint weather, so let’s paint this border station!”

  The painting began, white and green paint. Day in and day out they all painted. The men were excellent painters but shared little conversation.

  Cameron rarely took a break from the painting, going eight hours at first, then ten hours, for several days, often up to sixteen hours straight. In his time away from painting, he discovered a small lake, which was really about the size of a large pond, filled with perch and crappie fish. Cam filled up a fishing line with fish that he had caught. He even discovered how to catch unlimited crappie. He took the tongue out of one crappie and used it for bait. It was like shooting ducks in a barrel. Cam would later cook the fish in his motel room. The fish were so plentiful that he never had to spend money on groceries. Cam ate fish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He wanted to save every dime he earned for Michelle.

  Nearly a month had gone by when Cameron’s father came to visit. “Great work son, it looks like your team has made good progress. I want you to come home with me for a couple of days. Michelle called me and said she misses you and wants to see you.”

  Cam spoke to his father about their hardworking crew and members of the family on the plane ride home.

  Hours later and he was back in the arms of Michelle. It was a magical and romantical time. Time stood still as the two lovers cast a silhouette of one love. Cameron had to quickly return to his crew in Metaline Falls.

  “Cameron, I got a new job. I start tomorrow as a temporary counselor at a local public school. I am really looking forward to working with kids and it should help with the rent.”

  “I am so happy for you,” said Cameron with a kiss.

  Walking from the airfield to the hotel in Metaline Falls, Dan and Cameron came up on a roadkill buck deer.

  “Dad,” said Cameron, “I am thinking about taking a lot of the meat for the crew.”

  “Deer meat is excellent if it hasn’t been dead too long,” said Dan. “This deer looks like it has been recently run over so I think you and the crew will be having a feast.”

  Cameron’s father was right. The meat tasted absolutely delicious. The crew loved the roast. They laughed and told stories of what life in Eastern Washington might have been like 50 to 100 years ago living off the land hunting deer, elk, and eating berries for survival.

  Cameron slept in the next morning as his belly was filled with the buck roast.

  The painting continued with lots of overtime hours as well as excellent fishing for nearly two weeks, when Officer Grant walked up to Cameron and said, “your father is on the phone and wants to talk to you.”

  Cameron worried that something may have happened to Michelle or another family member because his father had never called him at the border station.

  Cameron, nervously picked up the phone and said, “Hey Dad, what’s up?”

  “You got a call from a judge with the Pierce County Superior Court in Tacoma who is interested in hiring you to work for him as a Law Clerk and Bailiff. He wants to talk to you right away. Here is his phone number.”

  “Thanks dad,” said Cameron. “I will let you know what happens.”

  Cameron definitely looked like a painter. His overalls were covered in white and green paint. He was relieved that the judge could not see his current appearance.

  Cameron called the judge directly.

  “Hi Cameron,” said the judge, “I read your resume and I was very impressed. My current bailiff is leaving in two weeks. Can you start in two weeks?”

  “Yes Sir, I would be absolutely honored to do so.”

  “Great. It is all set. I will see you in two weeks,” said the judge who then gave Cameron instructions where to report for his first day.

  Cameron could not believe his good fortune. Getting a law clerk/bailiff position with a Superior Court judge was one of the very best starting positions to advance one’s legal career, other than having a family member as owner of a large law firm.

  Less than two weeks later, the border station was 100% painted and the crew and Cameron returned to Seattle.

  Cameron thanked his father for allowing him to paint the station with his crew.

  His father gave him his final pay check which included a nice bonus for completing the project on time.

  Michelle hugged Cameron and said, “Cam, I love you and missed you so much. Let’s try not to be apart again.”
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br />   “I love you too and I totally agree. I have some great news for you. I think we may be able to buy our first house. Using my G.I. Bill, which requires no down payment, and with the income that you and I are earning plus the money my dad paid me, I think we have the income to search for a small house. We are ready to move out of my apartment and start building our future.”

  Tears formed in Michelle’s eyes. “Do you think we can?”

  “Yes. Lets go house hunting after work and on week-ends.”

  Pierce Superior Court Judge Boudin, was white, with graying hair, sparkling brown eyes, and had one of warmest smiles Cameron had ever seen. Cameron would soon learn that Judge Boudin was a very intellectually gifted judge who had a good heart. The judge was pleased to have Cameron in his court.

  “Cameron,” said the judge, “after you complete all the hiring forms with our administrative office, I would like you to contact the Bar Association and find out when you can sit for the Bar Exam. I would also like you to go down to the sheriff ’s office and complete all necessary paper work to become a deputy sheriff.”

  “Certainly,” said Cameron. “Why do you want me to become a deputy sheriff?”

  “I have seen just about every case imaginable and I expect to see some cases that I can’t imagine, so I think it best if my bailiff had the power to arrest someone should they disrupt our court.”

  The sheriff’s office was located on the first floor of the court room. Cam took the judge’s letter requesting the sheriff’s office to complete the necessary steps for him to become a sheriff. After being fingerprinted and photos taken, he stood before the captain of the sheriff’s department who said, “when we get the results of your fingerprints, we will swear you in as a deputy sheriff. Welcome aboard.”

  Cameron learned that the next Bar Exam would be in four months.

  Cameron called Big El to tell him, that he would be a deputy sheriff when his shiny new badge arrived.

  Cameron and Michelle wanted to live the American Dream by purchasing their first house with the hope that it would lead to economic prosperity and social mobility for their family, all gained from rich and smart hard work. In was now 1977, and housing prices had started to soar. The average price for a starter home in Tacoma and Seattle was $20,000 to $30,000 and the concept of sellers receiving multiple offers had emerged. One month into the house hunting process, Michelle and Cameron found a small three-bedroom house with a white picket fence. The $35,000 asking price stretched their G.I. budget. In a matter of hours, the price escalated to $37,500, by increased bids. They submitted a security deposit in the form of an earnest money for $5,000. Shortly after, Michelle learned that the sellers were members of her church and she called them to say how much Cameron and she would love to buy their home. With ten offers on the table, the sellers selected Michelle and Cameron’s offer.

  They had a wonderful house warming party. Over twenty people came to the party where Cam and Michelle roasted a large pig on a large brick barbecue pit in the back yard. The succulent pig, potato salad, bake beans, salad, rolls, and a keg of beer were all big hits.

  Back at the court house, Cameron was sworn in as a deputy sheriff and received his badge. Judge Boudin was pleased.

  Inside the judge’s court, Cameron observed divorce cases, criminal cases, negligence and damages, civil cases, but the three cases that Cameron will remember forever were as follows:

  1.The first case involved a dog on a leash, that broke its leash and attacked a young man who was about to paint the owners house. The now one eared man sued the owner for pain and suffering. Washington State had a free bite law, meaning the dog’s owner had to have received notice that the dog had bitten someone. Thereby the dog got one free bite. Thus, the jury returned a verdict of zero monetary damages for the young man.

  2.The second case involved a young man with a rap sheet a yard long that came into the court accused of stealing a motorcycle. After the jury found him guilty, the judge said, “I told you last time, if I ever saw you again in my court I would throw the book at you. So, I am sentencing you to ten to twenty years in prison. He told him to sit at the back benches in the court. The judge told Cameron to call the Sheriff ’s Office and have them send a sheriff immediately to the court room to escort the defendant to jail.”

  Cameron immediately called the Sheriff ’s Office.

  The young man walked towards Cameron and said, “this is terrible.” I didn’t expect the judge to send me to prison. This is horrible. I can’t believe it. I need a cigarette.”

  Cameron told the defendant to have a seat and he could have a cigarette shortly.

  “No,” said the defendant, “this is horrible, I need a cigarette now.” With that he jumped up and ran out of the court room and did not stop running.

  The judge said, “get him Deputy!”

  Cameron gave chase and in the center of the floor by all the elevators Cameron dove to tackle the defendant.

  What was truly unique is that all the elevator doors completely filled with people opened at the same time and they saw Cameron flying through the air launching at the young man.

  Cameron tackled him and managed to put him in a head lock.

  Someone screamed, “he has a knife, he has a big knife, watch out!’

  Cameron’s head lock grip got tighter as he dragged the man back to the court room. It grew even tighter when he noticed the size of the large Jim Bowie knife. A sheriff deputy had arrived and Cameron told him that the defendant had a large knife. Cameron turned over the defendant to the sheriff and took several steps backwards. The defendant’s lawyer put his arm around the sobbing defendant and said, “hey, not to worry, I will appeal this decision.”

  A large crowd from the elevators had formed around the defendant. Cameron ordered the sheriff to take the man to jail, now.

  As the sheriff started to handcuff the man, he twisted and threw the sheriff into Cameron, and ran down the steps of the court house. Cameron gave chase. At the bottom of the last flight of stairs there was an exit door and Cameron attempted a diving tackle on the defendant. The man slammed the door shut smashing Cameron on the head. Later Cameron said, he felt like a cartoon character sliding down the exit door.

  The defendant did escape for two weeks, until he was caught in Duluth, Minnesota. Eventually, he was brought back to Tacoma, and sentenced to an additional ten years on escape charges.

  3.The third memorable case involved an habitual drunk man who burned up another habitual drunk man killing him, as he stole his bottle of wine. This was a huge death penalty case. After a lengthy trial, the defendant was found guilty of murder but he was not found guilty of aggravated circumstances, so he was not sentenced to die. This was a major precedent setting case as it set the standard for all future death penalty cases in Washington State.

  Cameron was taking a close look at how he might launch his legal career. Cameron felt so fortunate to observe many of the most brilliant lawyers in the state at his job.

  It was now time to study for the Bar Exam. To become a practicing lawyer, one must pass the bar exam. Cameron had heard it was a very difficult exam where many law students had failed it multiple times. To aid his review, Cameron signed up for a month-long evening bar review course. After spending one hour at the bar review, Cameron said, “I don’t like this review method. It is not for me.” So Cameron walked out on the course. Somebody up there had to be watching out over Cameron as another black student who was also turned off by the review course just came out the door as well. In the entire course, there may have been only four blacks so the odds of seeing two black students of the same mind set, come out the door at the same time, was statistically astronomical. They looked at each other and agreed to study together. His name was Gerald, who by any standards was handsome and smart, yet he worried he might not pass the bar.

  Together they studied seven days a week for ten hours a day after work. Late into the evening of the second week, Cameron broke the code on not only how to study fo
r the bar, but how to answer each question. Cameron had stumbled on a formula for passing the Washington State Bar Exam. Here is the code: Watch the F-I-R-E.

  Watch—First, bring a watch or clock to the bar exam. When the examiner says, “you may begin.” write down the time and how much time you have to answer each question. Look at your clock every 30 minutes. One must pace oneself through each and every question. This is absolutely critical as most people fail to pass the bar exam because they run out of time and get zero credit for the questions that they do not answer. Write your answers quickly.

  Now, answer each bar exam question as follows:

  F- Write down what are the key FACTS of the bar exam question.

  I- Write down what are the key ISSUES raised by the facts.

  R- Write down what is the RULE of law that applies to the issues.

  E- For extra credit, write down what are the EXCEPTIONS to the rule of law.

  To get to the point of immediate recall of facts, issues, rules, and exceptions to the rule of law means tremendous devotion and memory of all areas of law. Cameron’s hint to help you know when you are close to being ready to take the bar exam is when you obtain a temporal or spiritual feeling occurring once in a life time.

  Gerald and Cameron took great pains to study diligently on every legal subject. Now it was time to sit for the three-day bar exam.

  Gerald and Cameron did not know how the exam went for them, but they both thought they had a good feeling. Several weeks later they learned that they both had passed the Bar Exam. Gerald would go on to be a top-notch lawyer for one of the larger law firms in the state.

  The judge held a big party after hours in the court room with balloons, cake, and coffee celebrating Cameron’s passing the bar. He said, “I am so happy for you. In six months, it will be time for you to move on, so be thinking about your next career step.”

  About a week later, the judge asked Cameron to visit him in his Chamber.

  Inside the judge’s chambers, Judge Boudin said, “Cameron, I wonder if you can help me with something. I have heard from so many young people that are searching to find their birth parents and parents that are searching to find their child that they gave up for adoption. Cameron, would you mind searching the laws in all 50 states to see if there might be a way for us to put these people in contact with each other?