As we met outside the courtroom, Mr. Pucci told me
that the plumbing permit had been issued last Tuesday,
the delay because Mr. Gordon had submitted an application
with the wrong number of fixtures.

I telephoned Mr. Gordon just now and confirmed that the
permit has indeed been issued. The delay resulted from
the circumstance that I had not listed a dishwasher 
connection, which I did not intend to have installed.
The inspection has not yet been scheduled. It will not
be done by Mr. Ciarmataro but by the alternate inspector.

I'm embarrassed that, contrary to my initial impression,
the judge proved to be not very intelligent; she hadn't
done her homework, she didn't understand the case and
didn't want to know details of the present standoff.
Though polite, she was hostile to me. I think she identified
me as a troublemaker, too smart for her and for my own good.
She set a deadline of 45 days for the plumbing to be approved,
or for the parties to reach an agreement, - about what I don't
know. Otherwise she would hold a formal hearing (on the facts)
or dismiss the case. On dismissal a new action would have to be
brought. A dismissal, of course, would be subject to review
by the Appeals Court.