The drone of the prosecutor’s opening statements trespassed on one’s tendency to doze off as one unconsciously felt the late winter’s sun as it streaked through the high narrow windows of the court-room. A lone fly hummed purposelessly in and around the shaft of sunlight and was sporadically sent on a different course by the wave of an annoyed hand. Court officials shuffled and moved about and attended to their various functions in an unconcerned indolent manner. Efficiently and yet giving an appearance of contempt for the public gallery which had nothing better to occupy itself other than a morbid interest of the sensationalism that this case attracted. This interest typified the attitude of the community and was represented in the large number of creatures that stretched the gallery to its limits.

The prosecutor was making the added point that there are other views which he would demonstrate at the appropriate time, specifically the legal liability of when one holds out a temptation to a child, he promised to illustrate the expectancies of society to reproach that child for yielding to the temptation. Notwithstanding the child’s natural propensity for mischief it will be shown that, in this instance, the temptation was solicited.

The prisoner sat calmly in the dock. He look neither left or right but stared unseeingly at his hands. He gave no appearance of being conscious of anyone or anything around him. Although there was evidence of dark circles around his eyes, his face showed no emotion.

The hands of the old clock above the jury box moved slowly and at times seemed to have stopped altogether. Below, one of the male jurors shifted in his seat and looked up at the clock, wondering how long it was to lunchbreak. It was obvious from his disappointed look that it was still early and that he would still have to wait some time before he was able to satisfy his appetite. He had woken up late this morning after a humid and fitful night and there was no time for breakfast. He slid back resignedly in his seat and half closed his eyes with utter indifference to the proceedings. The time was 11.10 a.m.

The buzzing of that persistent fly was still to be heard ..... "and as I was saying Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury ......" The Prosecutor’s voice trailed off into the haziness of the court atmosphere. He did not appear convinced that the jurors deserved the title he had just conferred upon them. He too was bored. Nevertheless, he felt that he did have a convincing case against the defendant and whatsmore, he was also dedicated to his personal dislike for the defence counsel.