Dear Marion,

The Nantucket plumbing inspection was a riot. Three town officials,
the plumbing inspector, the deputy plumbing inspector and the 
building inspector appeared, like three detectives investigating 
a murder. They looked high and low for clues, and to secure evidence
of wrong-doing they stretched their powers of invention and imagination
to the breaking point possibly beyond. Mr Ciarmataro, the primary
plumbing inspector spent much of the time vilifying me, challenging
me with questions about the plumbing code. I thought, however, that
his obligation was to examine the plumbing rather than me. In one
instance I referred him to Mr. Gordon as "my plumber"; otherwise
I deflected his questions by saying "I don't know." Mr. Ciamataro's
sense of power seemed to be sufficiently satisfied that he did not
become violent. To Mr.  Gordon he didn't speak at all, until the end
when he prohibited Mr. Gordon from doing anything at about the
plumbing preliminary to a court decision.  I suspect they will try
to persuade the judges that all the plumbing should be torn out;
and it's conceivable that they might succeed, but given my propensity
to appeal, it will cost them dearly. At the end I staged a scene for
a novel yet to be written: I told Mr. Ciarmataro that the experience
had been one of the most memorable in my life, which I would never
forget. I told him I was not at all angry or "upset". He was somewhat
surprised when I shook hands with him, vigorously, as if I were Bill
Clinton. The building inspector also wanted a handshake and I shook
hands with him too.

After this debacle, I drove the old 1995 minivan for its annual
inspection, two months overdue, and it passed. The rest of the day
I spent cleaning up. I took the 5:30 boat to Hyannis and by 10 p.m.
I was back in Belmont.  The enterprise took 19 hours and a half hours.
Much of today I spent recovering.

My estimate is that between half and three fourth of Mr.Ciarmataro's
objections are wrong or irrelevant.  However, given that judges don't
want to try to understand plumbing (or logic) and are much impressed
by official status, the Nantucket Building Department may prevail.
I must be prepared for all eventualities.

Jochen