Weemsby held one for Thorby’s signature. Thorby hesitated, then instead of signing, reached for the document. Weemsby held on. “What’s the trouble?”
“If I’m going to sign, I ought to read it.” He was thinking of something Grandmother used to be downright boring about.
Weemsby shrugged. “They are routine matters that Judge Bruder prepared for you.” Weemsby placed the document on the others, tied the stack, and closed the folder. “These papers tell me to do what I have to do anyway. Somebody has to do the chores.”
“Why do I have to sign?”
“This is a safety measure.”
“I don’t understand.”
Weemsby sighed. “The fact is, you don’t understand business. No one expects you to; you haven’t had any chance to learn. But that’s why I have to keep slaving away; business won’t wait.” He hesitated. “Here’s the simplest way to put it When your father and mother went on a second honeymoon, they had to appoint someone to act while they were gone. I was the natural choice, since I was their business manager and your grandfather’s before that — he died before they went away. So I was stuck with it while they went jaunting. Oh, I’m not complaining; it’s not a favor one would refuse a member of the family. Unfortunately they did not come back so I was left holding the baby.
“But now you are back and we must make sure everything is orderly. First it is necessary for your parents to be declared legally dead — that must be done before you can inherit. That will take a while. So here I am, your business manager, too — manager for all the family — and I don’t have anything from you telling me to act. These papers do that.”
Thorby scratched his cheek. “If I haven’t inherited yet, why do you need anything from me?”
Weemsby smiled. “I asked that myself. Judge Bruder thinks it is best to tie down all possibilities. Now since you are of legal age –”
” ‘Legal age’?” Thorby had never heard the term; among the People, a man was old enough for whatever he could do.
Weemsby explained. “So, since the day you passed your eighteenth birthday, you have been of legal age, which simplifies things — it means you don’t have to become a ward of a court. We have your parents’ authorization; now we add yours — and then it doesn’t matter how long it takes the courts to decide that your parents are dead, or to settle their wills. Judge Bruder and I and the others who have to do the work can carry on without interruption. A time gap is avoided . . . one that might cost the business many megabucks. Now do you understand?”
“I think so.”
“Good. Let’s get it done.” Weemsby started to open the folder.
Grandmother always said to read before signing — then think it over. “Uncle Jack, I want to read them.”
“You wouldn’t understand them.”
“Probably not.” Thorby picked up the folder. “But I’ve got to learn.”
Weemsby reached for the folder. “It isn’t necessary.”
Thorby felt a surge of obstinacy. “Didn’t you say Judge Bruder prepared these for me?”
“Yes.”
“Then I want to take them to my apartment and try to understand them. If I’m ‘Rudbek of Rudbek’ I ought to know what I’m doing.”
Weemsby hesitated, then shrugged. “Go ahead. You’ll find that I’m simply trying to do for you what I have always been doing.”
“But I still ought to understand what I’m doing.”
“Very well! Good night.”
Thorby read till he fell asleep. The language was baffling but the papers did seem to be what Uncle Jack said they were — instructions to John Weemsby to continue the routine business of a complex setup. He fell asleep full of terms like “full power of attorney,” “all manner of business,” “receive and pay monies,” “revocable only by mutual consent,” “waiver of personal appearance,” “full faith and credence,” and “voting proxy in all stockholding and/or directorial meetings, special or annual.”
As he dozed off it occurred to him that he had not asked to see the authorizations given by his parents.
Sometime during the night he seemed to hear Grandmother’s impatient voice: “– then think it over! If you don’t understand it, and the laws under which it will be executed, then don’t sign it! — no matter how much profit may appear to be in store. Too lazy and too eager can ruin a trader”