The Bachelor Party. Ron Hummer

      “It’s not like I have $10,000 to fight them, especially since my lawyer said that I could lose because I signed the agreement. And everyone didn’t sign the agreement.”

      “Yeah, that’s for sure,” Jack Roscoe said over Bruce’s shoulder.

      Bruce shook his head. “Thanks for your help.”

      “No problem. I wish there was more that I could do.”

      Bruce stared at Jack Roscoe, noting his short brown buzz cut hair, his brown eyes, the seven inch scar on his forehead over his left eye. He had the body of a wrestler, his bulk filling out a Stevie Ray Vaughn Tee-shirt.

      “Well, not sure where I’m going from here.”

      “Yeah,” Jack said. “What happened to you and Jessica wasn’t right. You may have helped a lot of people though.”

      Bruce stroked his jaw with his thumb and forefinger.

      “We did all we could,” Jessica said. “Not that it means anything for us.”

      “Yep, we lost,” Bruce said.

      “Bruce, we should get going,” another voice shouted. It was low, deep.

      “My brother calls,” He said. He put out his hand and Jack shook it. Then Jessica hugged Bruce. “Keep in touch,” Jessica said.

      “Yeah, I’ll keep my Facebook page open.”

      Jack shook his head. “Facebook. Something else to stay away from.”

      “Get used to computers and the social media,” Jessica said

      “Not a chance,” Jack replied.

      “Take care of yourself, Jack.”

      “You too. And remember one thing, Bruce. There is an old saying. What goes around comes around.”

      Bruce bit his lower lip. “I don’t think that that’s going to happen this time,” he said to Jack.

      “You never know. I have a feeling that our day will come. And when it does, then there will be payback for this.”

      “I hope you’re right,” Bruce said.

      Chapter 1

      January 14, 2013

      The Present

      “Well, that’s our show on Amendment One for today. Let me thank our guests for being here. First, Republican State Senator Bob Hillman and Irving Wells, partner of the law firm Wells, Carmichael and Lane.”

      “Thank you John,” Irving said.

      “Yes, thank you,” Hillman added.

      “I’m John Winter and thank you for listening to us. Good night.”

      Michael Wells started clapping as the show ended, followed by his sister, Elaine, and their mother, Emily. They sat opposite him in the livingroom on a gray couch. He looked at his watch, saw that it was 8:30. Have to go to Ralph’s bachelor party in about 20 minutes, he thought.

      “Wasn’t that a great show?” Emily said, leaning back against the cushions on her couch. From where Michael sat, his mother’s hair was short, dark, and wavy, the lamp lights revealing the lines under the lids of her eyes as well as the crows feet. Behind her, Michael had a view of the fireplace with pictures of the family on the mantel.

      “It was,” Elaine added. She took a sip of her tea, stared at Michael over the rim. Her face was alabaster white, glowing, soft; her hair was dark, long, flowing over her shoulders; her aquiline nose was small and her dark eyes seemed large, framed by lush black lashes.

      “Dad has a great voice,” Michael said. “He should have been in radio.”

      “Well, he was,” Emily responded. “Don’t you remember? He worked for his college radio station when he was in law school.”

      “I think he could have worked on a radio station,” Michael said.

      “He was more interested in being a lawyer,” Emily replied.

      “I can understand that,” Michael said, grinning. He looked at his watch again. “I should get going soon.”

      “Okay. Remember that you have a big case on Monday,” Emily said.

      “It’s a slam dunk, Mom. Like you said, Charlie Gomez signed his non-compete agreement 15 years ago and he can’t open his own business here in New Jersey since it competes with Trident Industries.”

      “Just like the case I had a few weeks ago,” Elaine added. That hairdresser, Ruby. She wouldn’t go 50 miles like she was supposed to go. She worked for John Olsen before she was laid off. The customers were asking about her. I mean, that was the whole reason for the non-compete in the first place. And she goes into court accusing John of yelling at her all the time. Creating a poor work environment.”

      Emily shook her head. “Like that cardiologist that worked in Mercy Hospital. Had his practice 50 miles from the hospital. He was laid off but he fought us because he didn’t want to move. I mean, the hospital could have lost his patients if he went to another hospital just a few blocks away. That’s why we attached a fine of $500,000 to his non-compete agreement if he was within the 50 mile limit.”

      “We should do that on all non-compete agreements, Michael said.

      “Give it some time,” Emily said.”

      “I’m working with a group of Dentists right now. We should have a fine of at least $100,000 if any of them go below 50 miles.”

      “Might be good to talk to your father about it when he gets back,” Emily said to her son.

      “We should do it, Mom. I mean, it’s not like the judge will throw it out. Sure, maybe he’ll say it’s unreasonable. But he won’t throw it out because it’s in there.”

      “That’s true.”

      “I really think we should do it for as many companies as we can,” Michael said adamantly. “Our clients need protection and putting fines in place will be a great way to make sure that employees won’t go below the 50 mile limit.”

      “I see your point. We’ll talk to your father together when he gets back.”

      “I’d like to be there too,” Elaine said. “I have a lot of clients that I can apply fines to. I think it’s the future of non-compete agreements. Our clients have a right to have them.”

      “Okay,” Emily said, chuckling. “When your father gets back, we’ll talk to him about this.”

      “Sounds great,” Elaine said.

      “It’s a good thing that the Governor signed the trade secrets act,” Michael added. “New Jersey is employer friendly but now it will be easier to bring civil lawsuits against employees like we can do in the other 47 states. Hopefully, New York will be the next state to sign it.”

      “Seems like every state is employer friendly,” Elaine said.

      “Except for California,” Emily said.

      “Yeah, I can’t believe that they still outlaw non-compete agreements,” Elaine said angrily. “That has to change at some point.”

      “We won’t have an office out there until it does,” Emily replied. “You heard the Senator. Companies will be reluctant to move there unless they have their non-compete agreements. That’s why Georgia adopted Amendment 1. Companies were moving to Florida and and Tennessee because they are employer friendly states. Georgia knew that they had to be employer friendly so that’s why we can get the judges to stop ruling against non-compete agreements. Senator Hillman knew that that was the best thing for Georgia to do.”

      “In the end, everyone will have jobs again,” Elaine added.

      “I