A Father's Discipline: Chapter 5

Chapter 5 opens with James on an airplane, and for some reason, he likes the seat.  I'll assume they are in first class.  There is some very obvious sexual frustration going on in the first sentence:

"The force of the seat against Jim's back felt good, as the giant airliner thrust its way up into the sky."

Is there another way into the sky besides "up", Jimmy?

The little religious doves go on to have a conversation about how Jim hasn't been on vacation in five years.  This strikes me as suspicious, as he took his vacation so quickly.  He was obviously devoted to his job.  Didn't he have clients?  Furthermore, they wonder why his precious "prize" got into drugs?  Dude, you haven't taken a vacation in five years--how often do you even see your damned kid?  He insisted they were close, but he just said he never even took his vacations.  Worse, he goes on to talk about how awful it is to take vacations alone.

Leaving out that there are plenty of people who thoroughly enjoy vacations alone, what about your damned kid?  You never took him to Disney Land?  You never took him to the beach?  He's your "prize" but you never fucking spend time with him?  And still no one points out that he's a shit father?

Excuse my cynicism, but throughout the book, every person who sees Jimmy and Rose Ann comments on their "relationship" and smiles and acts like it's the most heartwarming thing they've ever seen.  I'm sorry, no.  Nobody does that.  Relationships are incredibly common and not really something that people comment on in real life unless the couple is just that cute (so never).  Why?  Because it's none of their damned business.  However, this is a somewhat common trope in romance novels.  Gasp.  Proctor, have you... read the devil's sex books?  My word!

"Mile high city."

They were just on a plane.  Is the author this unaware?

"See there.  I know all about women."

Something something paint with a broad brush something something...

"Best legal mind" used to describe Rose Ann.  Emotional pleas.  Doesn't know if she's an attorney or a lawyer.  Yep, best legal mind.

The author describes Colorado as "refreshing" when compared to "the frantic life of the eastern city".  Strange--there didn't seem to be anything frantic about a walk on the beach or dinner.  How very odd.

So they go to his sister's place in Colorado, which does indeed have horses and instead of, oh, doing their fucking job, they make plans to go horseback riding and have a nice dinner with his sister, bro-in-law, and their 7-year old.  Seriously, instead of working on this pressing, urgent case that has James so worked up, he's enjoying his fucking vacation while his son sucks cock in exchange for drugs or whatever goes on in juvy.

Proctor falls into his now-familiar trend of "dialogue over prose" and just writes it like a shitty script with few and far between stage directions.

"His countenance suggested that he was desirous of something that went deeper than words could express."

That entire sentence is such a train wreck that I don't even know where to start.  I'm so happy that Proctor discovered thesaurus.com.  He really tried to be "deep" right here, but, darling pudding pie, it's your job as an author to express things with words.  Sorry, my sweet walrus.

Thus ends the exciting conclusion of Chapter 5.  Will Rose Ann win her case?  Will the prize go unclaimed in prison?  Will Jim finally get a "cold hard fact" where he wants it most?  Will I Office Space my laptop in an ill-conceived attempt to escape the hell I have voluntarily submitted myself to?

I'm in too deep now.  I can't go back.  Send help.

And pizza.