THE EXHIBITION
By FRANCINE
CHAPTER 1
How it Happened
Nancy Johnson was no stranger to travel; as a free-lance writer and
photographer, she had spent much of her life abroad, visiting and writing about
innumerable locations about the world. At 54, she often went with her husband,
who followed his own pursuits while she engaged in authoring and illustrating
articles she would then plan to offer to those newspapers and magazines who
regularly utilized her literary style. With their children grown, Nancy and
Ralph had accustomed themselves to a life they enjoyed immensely, largely on
the road and often in little-known places.
Her life of travel had conditioned her to be rugged and adaptable, and both of
them had been blessed with good health. Ralph, more relaxed than Nancy,
devoted himself to archaeology and historical interests, occasionally teaching
and writing for professional journals. He was a moderately tall man, graying,
a bit older than Nancy at 57. She, physically strong and active, was a larger
woman, only slightly concerned at her weight of 160, with her short auburn hair
turning grey, something she declined to hide or camouflage. She bore her years
with grace, always as well groomed as the situation allowed.
Nor was she any stranger to trouble. In her travels, she had on occasion run
afoul of the law, and had learned patience and tolerance in dealing with the
world's bureaucracies. So far she had never run into any really serious legal
problems, and while she had in her younger years spent a night or two locked up
for minor offenses, her legal problems had always been solvable.
But now she faced a different situation. Ralph and Nancy had come to this
Caribbean Island nation, as much as tourists as journalists. In her zeal to
portray life as it was, Nancy had engaged in photographing some of the poorer
areas, including, she found out later, some religious rites and quasi-legal
drug trafficking activities which the government found embarrassing. In fact,
local law prohibited photography in some of these areas, and the government was
sensitive to being portrayed as tolerating what some would consider immoral,
backward, or indecent. She had been caught by the local police, who had
followed her while Ralph was elsewhere, and she soon found herself apprehended.
At this point it was determined that she lacked the proper visa for
journalistic work, and her she had neglected to obtain a required permit for
her camera and register with the government's office of foreign affairs as a
foreign writer.
Realizing she was in a bit of difficulty, she summoned her husband to the
police station. After the situation was explained to them, the police officer
in charge, Sgt. Melona, told them, very politely, of their options.
"You must understand that I do not make the laws, but these are our laws and we
are charged to administer them. Mrs. Johnson, you are charged with at least
five violations of immigration laws and civil codes. I realize that you may
not have intended any harm, and that you are foreigners; but I must hold you
accountable under our laws. You will be given a hearing before the police
magistrate in a day or two. I advise you to obtain a local lawyer to represent
you. I could hold you until the hearing; but I do not feel that you are a
threat to the community, and if you agree to report for the hearing I am
prepared to release you in your husband's custody if you will post a small
bond, leave your passports with me, and agree not to attempt to flee the
island."
"Mr. Melona, I understand your position, and your offer is quite generous, and
we will accept it", Ralph replied. Fortunately, he had the means to post the
modest bond, and they left to go back to their hotel.
That evening, they consulted with George Hamran, the attorney they had now
engaged to represent Nancy at her hearing.
"Mr. Hamran," Nancy asked him, "is this really a serious set of charges? Of
course, I know what I did, but I really did not know of all these legal
entanglements. I've been in places before where I had failed to get a permit
or something, and usually we straightened it out with a small fine, or a fee,
or sometimes even a bit under the table for some official. Besides, they took
my camera and all my notes, so what can they do to me? Deport me?"
"Don't try that here" George Hamran responded. "There has recently been quite
a scandal on corruption and even the suggestion of a bribe will get you in more
trouble. Since they have your photos and notes, and you were caught in the act
of illegal photography, and since you obviously do not possess the required
authorizations, there is little defense. I can try to argue that your
intentions were not malicious, but don't be hopeful. This government wants to
be seen as operating strictly by the law, and they don't want to encourage
other foreigners to bypass the rules. You are almost certainly going to be
convicted, but I will try to get as light a sentence as possible."
"What will that be?", Ralph anxiously inquired. George went on, "The charges
will likely call for a jail sentence of about six months to a year; but I think
it is likely that you will be given something less, in your circumstances.
Probably four to six months, after which you will be escorted to the airport
and required to leave. "
"Four to six months?" Nancy was outraged. "Four to six months out of my life
on this forsaken place? Surely there must be an alternative. Can we not
arrange a fine?"
"A fine, alone, is not likely", George went on. "Prison time is what is
expected. And the prison here is not as bad as it could be. You will not be
mistreated, because the government is sensitive to human rights issues. Your
husband can visit regularly, and...."
"Four to six months! And maybe more! Give me some other option - anything!"
Nancy was clearly upset over the possibility.
"If you were a man," George went on, "there would be an alternative. You could
ask for corporal punishment instead, which means flogging. It is humiliating
and painful, but it is over quickly. Men can ask for this in lieu of short
prison sentences. Flogging used to be imposed regularly, but now it is done
only when the prisoner consents to it, to avoid jail time. Many men do choose
it, instead of going to jail. But the law absolutely prohibits the flogging of
women - the government simply does not want the image that might present."
"Then there is no way a woman can request corporal punishment?"
"I can't really say there is no way. But I don't advise you to ask for it. You
will be better off in the long run with the jail time." George obviously
wanted to cut this off. Nancy, however, continued, "if there is any way a
woman can get corporal punishment instead of jail time, I want to know. Tell
me my options!"
"Well, you asked for it," George continued. "But I strongly advise against it.
There is a corporal punishment option for women. It is carried out
periodically, only when women request it, and very few do. Women cannot be
flogged, beaten, or subjected to physical abuse. The women who choose this
option are exhibited in a public place used for the purpose, where they must
stand in shackles for several hours at a time, while they are subjected to
other physical discomforts which can be most unpleasant. However, they cannot
be subjected to flogging or any invasive treatment, and they cannot be raped or
sodomized, nor can they be cut or permanently injured. The sentence may require
them to endure this on several successive days, if it is in lieu of months of
jail time. It can be..."
"Get it for me!" Nancy demanded.
George tried his best to dissuade Nancy, but it wasn't working. The following
day, he arranged a meeting at the police magistrate's building, where the
government prosecutor considered Nancy's request. "Since she is agreeing to
this, I will ask the magistrate to allow the sentence to be carried out
promptly. We will ask that she be given three successive days of exhibition,
to be followed by deportation. Day after tomorrow, she will report to the
police sergeant at the jail, at ten in the morning. Agreed?" "Agreed", George
responded.
Later that day, Nancy signed the required papers. She found that she also
needed a doctor's certificate that she was able to endure the punishment
prescribed, and a local doctor checked her out and certified her "A necessary
precaution" George told her, "they don't want to find out that you have a weak
heart or some other problem that might make you collapse on their hands." She
had also been told that when she reported she must not be wearing any jewelry,
watch, or anything of value, She should not be wearing any cosmetics, perfume,
or even deodorant, and her clothing should be simple and casual.
Nancy concerned herself what she would have to go through - even though it
would be better than months in jail, she expected it to be rough. But standing
in shackles for a few hours? She felt she could handle that, even at her age.
And she couldn't be beaten! George gave her one final warning, before he and
Ralph delivered her to the police station on the appointed day, "Remember, you
asked for this - to avoid jail time. If you give them a hard time, or refuse
to cooperate, they can revoke the agreement and put you in jail for the
maximum the law allows."
