Year 3, week 4: big happy family

HeadofChambers made an announcement in chambers tea this afternoon: “It is with deep regret that I must announce that…”

At this point, the words and his sombre face led us all to think that he was about to announce the tragic death of someone close. He continued: “chambers had three quarters of a million pounds in an Icelandic bank which went bankrupt and we are still struggling to recover any of it.”

I should have realised. A face as serious as that could only be associated with financial loss. OldSmoothie was the first to get stuck in: “You what? Lost? Who? How?”

UpTights followed up with: “But they all went bust a couple of weeks ago. How come this is the first we know.”

HeadofChambers shifted a little and looked at his feet before bringing his attention back to the room and putting on his QC voice: “Er, well, er…I’m afraid I’ve been trying to sort it out given that I was the one who put the money there in the first place.”
“Yes, and you’ll be the one we’ll all sue if you don’t recover it,” said OldSmoothie in a fairly loud stage whisper.
TheCreep saw an opportunity to stick up for HeadofChambers at this and said: “I really don’t think that’s called for, OldSmoothie. We’re all in this together.”
“You worried that we might add you as a Co-Defendant are you?” replied OldSmoothie.

TheCreep backed down but HeadofChambers was already cranking out his defence: “It was hardly foreseeable that the banking system was going to collapse.”
“Ooh, foreseeable,” answered OldSmoothie. “Getting a little defensive, are we?”

BusyBody stepped up to the mark just for the sport: “Coming from the financial wizard that thinks hedge funds are for gardening and the credit crunch is a breakfast cereal, you’re hardly one to talk.”

So much for that ‘big happy family’ line which chambers always uses with new recruits.