Thirty-five men now under his command, the new Minister for Justice is trying his damnest to prove a point. O’Reilly felt a little nervous which surprised him even though he had an excuse he reasoned with himself, this was the largest command of his career and now he too wanted to prove his ability. Everybody was talking, loud laughter came from one of the far corners and the smoke, which was beginning to suffocate the small room, was stinging his small narrow eyes, he rose to open a side window. Turning back he decided it would be friendlier and open if he sat at the front of the desk rather than on the chair and perhaps just throw a few subtle hints to the gathering that it was in fact illegal to smoke in the workplace. Eyeing the small desk which belonged to a schoolroom rather than the headquarters of the Irish Police Force, as he walked to the front of it he awkwardly lowered his bulky rural frame to sit on it, he wondered if the bloody thing was going to collapse with his weight.
