Maud

I get to the gym today and Jason is standing with a serious looking 40 year old chick in expensive workout clothes.

"Hey, Josh, this is Maud. Maud this is Josh."

“Hi,” I said. She looked familiar to me.

"This is Josh, he's as gay as Xmas," said Jason. Clearly thinking he was being clever.

I give him a look. “I don’t know why Xmas is gay?” I say.

“It’s like everything, gays want to claim it,” said Maud.

“Seriously? Did you just say that?” I said. I couldn’t let it pass.

“Well, it’s true isn’t it,” said Maud.

“It’s not true,” I said.

“I reckon it is,” said Maud.

“Really,” I said. “Can you give even one example?”

"Don't I know you?" She suddenly asked.

"I hope not," I said. Maud Goodman, I thought, I know who she was. Special Counsel with a fierce reputation.

“Josh, perhaps we should start,” said Jason. He looked nervous.

“Did you work on the Crew case?” she asked.

“Yeah sure,” I said. “I advised them on employment issues.”

“How to reduce their employee numbers.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“So, you aren’t so nice.”

“That’s my job.”

“You hide behind that?”

“I also advised them to act with integrity?”

“You think that I absolved you?”

“At least I advised them of it.”

“You’re not as nice as you make out then?”

“At least I’m not a homophobic bigot.”

“Okay,” said Jason. “That went well, now didn’t it.”

Maud stepped back.

I stepped back too.

“I’ll catch up with you tomorrow.”

“Yes, sure,” said Maud. She turned to look at me. I just stood, made no attempt to talk to her. “Okay then,” she said to me.

I said nothing.