The Rooster Bar (29 page)

They bought the bar and closed it for renovations. With Alice on board, they pumped in $80,000 for a fancier kitchen, bar equipment, and big televisions, and they doubled the seating capacity. Their business plan was to make it more of an American-style sports bar while keeping the local music, food, drinks, and decor. When it reopened, Alice was in charge of the dining room. Chris and Tomas worked the bar. Bo supervised a small staff in the kitchen. The place was packed from the opening bell, and life was good.

For the sake of memory, and a tip of the hat to another lifetime, they called it The Rooster Bar.

As usual, I played fast and loose with reality, especially the legal stuff. Laws, courthouses, procedures, statutes, firms, judges and their courtrooms, lawyers and their habits, all have been fictionalized at will to suit the story.

Mark Twain said he moved entire states and cities to fit his narrative. Such is the license given to novelists, or simply assumed by them.

Alan Swanson guided me through the streets of D.C. Bobby Moak, a tort specialist with an encyclopedic knowledge of the law, once again reviewed the manuscript. Jennifer Hulvey at the University of Virgina School of Law walked me through the complex world of student lending. Thanks to all. They are not to be blamed for my mistakes.

The question all writers hate is: “Where do you get your ideas?” With this story the answer is simple. I read an article in the September 2014 edition of
The Atlantic
titled “The Law School Scam.” It's a fine investigative piece by Paul Campos. By the end of it, I was inspired and knew I had my next novel.

Thank you, Mr. Campos.