Caryl Phillips - A Distant Shore

“I do not know. I was travelling for a long time.”

“We can make a guess,” says the woman. “I mean, by working backwards we can come up with a rough date.”

The man looks at the woman.

“I know, but I think we need to have the specifics for a criminal case.” He turns again to Gabriel. “So you have no idea whatsoever, is that it?”

Gabriel shakes his head.

“And how long were you in France, do you have any idea?”

“A few days.”

“I see.”

The lawyer writes on the pad and then speaks without looking up at Gabriel.

“And you would have no idea whether a few was three or four, or seven or eight, am I right?” Gabriel thinks for a moment.

“I am sorry. It was not always possible to be sure if it was day or if it was night.”

The lawyer continues to write, and again he speaks without looking up.

“I understand, Gabriel, but tomorrow I am going to have to present the best possible case for you, and so we’ll have to find some way of ascertaining these facts.”

The woman coughs as though eager to add something, and Stuart Lewis looks up at her. She speaks on cue.

“I’ve already been over some of this with Gabriel and it’s very hard for him because of the personal trauma he suffered just before his having to flee for his life.” The lawyer looks quizzically at her, so she continues. “You know, the massacre of Gabriel’s family. This has had a profound impact on his memory and his ability to absorb anything, let alone details such as dates and times. It really is very difficult for him at the moment.”

The lawyer waits patiently until she has finished, and then he leans back in his chair.

“I understand what you’re saying, Katherine, but I’m only trying to establish dates, not state of mind. I’ll come to that later.”

The woman nods and Gabriel looks from one to the other and can now sense the frustration that is flowing between them. It is apparent to Gabriel that this is not the first time that the two of them have argued, and he is sure that he is the source of their disagreement. Stuart Lewis turns his attention back to Gabriel. He taps his pen against the pad in front of him, and he speaks slowly.

“Now then, Gabriel. You don’t know what date you arrived in France? And you have no idea on what date you arrived here in Great Britain? Am I correct in my assumptions?”

Gabriel nods. Again, Katherine speaks up.

“As I keep telling you, Stuart, it’s impossible for Gabriel to know all of these things, but we can make an educated guess at most of the dates and move on. Nobody’s ever going to be able to verify them, are they? I mean, I’m not trying to tell you how to do your job, but shouldn’t we focus more on the situation with the girl in the time that we have left?”

Stuart Lewis glances at his watch and then returns his attention to Katherine.

“You know, I appreciate that you’re trying to help, but in criminal cases we need to do a lot more fact-checking than in civil litigation. So unless he can substantiate these dates for me, the case will, whether he likes it or not, be weaker.” Stuart Lewis ignores both Katherine and Gabriel and begins to write on his pad.

Gabriel watches the man making notes in his spidery hand, and then he looks across at the woman, who is also writing. As though wishing to draw attention to himself, Stuart Lewis flamboyantly underscores a passage from his own text with two heavy lines, and then puts down his pen and clasps his hands in front of him. The woman continues to write.

“Now then, Gabriel, I have to ask you some questions about the girl, do you understand?”

Gabriel nods, but he can feel thin streams of sweat beginning to trickle down the back of his neck.

“You do understand what I’m asking, don’t you?”

Again Gabriel nods.

“All right then. When did you first meet the girl?”

Gabriel hears the question, but his mind blocks it, like a boxer might parry a blow. He stares blankly at the lawyer.

“Gabriel, when did you first meet the girl, that’s all I need to know.”

Again Gabriel blocks the question. Katherine leans forward.

“Gabriel, you’ll have to answer the question in court so you may as well tell us. After all, we’re on your side.”

Gabriel looks at the woman and then lowers his eyes. Stuart Lewis takes this as a good sign and he rephrases the question.

“Gabriel, tell me when you first met the girl and what made you talk to her. That’s all I need to know at the moment. We can sort out the rest of it after I’ve got these details.” Gabriel looks up at the lawyer, but he says nothing. It is clear that this man is frustrated by Gabriel’s silence, but Gabriel cannot remember any details that might help him. He is sorry. The short-haired woman smiles at Gabriel, and then leans over and looks directly into his eyes.

“You must remember when you first saw her, Gabriel? That much must be clear to you?”

Gabriel looks blankly at her. He feels betrayed. Why is she no longer defending him?

“This is no use at all.” Stuart Lewis pushes the pad in front of him to one side. He snaps the top of his pen back into place and picks up his briefcase from the floor.

“Stuart, wait.” Katherine seems alarmed by this man’s willingness to abandon the interview so quickly. “We must give Gabriel a chance.” She turns now to Gabriel. “Gabriel, you remember her name at least. Surely you can remember that much?”

Gabriel looks at the woman, and slowly, as though suddenly realising that he can trust neither of them, he begins to shake his head. No, he cannot remember.

“You don’t remember her name?” asks an incredulous Katherine.

Gabriel looks at the papers that lie on the table in front of him. He wonders about the contents of these papers, and if it is possible that they all refer to him, or perhaps some of them are about other people? The lawyer speaks to Katherine.

“Katherine, it’s no good. If he wants to carry on in this manner, then he’ll just have to take his chances in court. But there’s not much that I’m going to be able to do to help him if he won’t help himself.” The lawyer begins to stuff the papers into his briefcase. He leaves the notepad until the very end, and then he clicks his briefcase shut. Stuart Lewis tucks his pen into his inside jacket pocket and then he stands. He speaks to Katherine in a resigned, but irritated, manner. “So, that’s it then. We take our chances in the morning, right?”

Katherine looks from Stuart Lewis to Gabriel, and then back to Stuart Lewis.

“You know, Stuart, just give me a few minutes alone with Gabriel. I won’t be long.”

The lawyer nods, and without saying anything further to Gabriel he walks towards the warder, who steps aside and unlocks the door. When Stuart Lewis has passed from view, the warder locks the door again and remains “on guard.” Katherine waits for a few moments and then she begins to speak.

“Gabriel, I know it’s difficult, but you’ve got to try, really you have.” Gabriel says nothing. The warder coughs.

“Five minutes, Miss. That’s all you’ve got left, I’m afraid.”

Katherine ignores the man.

“We’re talking about the girl, Gabriel. You do know who I’m talking about?”

Gabriel nods. He knows who she is talking about.

“But you don’t remember when you first saw her? Is that it?”

Gabriel speaks quietly. “It is difficult to remember everything. It all happened so quickly. I get confused.”

“Yes, of course you get confused. Who wouldn’t? But tomorrow you will be in a very difficult position if you cannot remember these things. Remember, you have no rights in this country and they can just throw you out. If the worst comes to the worst, you might have to go to prison for a very long time on these charges relating to the girl. Either way it’s not good for you. I’m sure that you can see this.”