Chapter 2
The limousine pulled up in front of St. Monica's Catholic church and an usher opened the door. It was a warm, sunny day in June and a large crowd had already gathered inside the magnificent edifice. Lynn took the usher's hand and stepped out of the limousine. She wore a long, short sleeve silk gown with a long train. Two of her bridesmaids held the delicate fabric as she walked up the steep steps. Her mother and father watched joyfully as she entered the church. After her mother was seated, the bridesmaids and ushers each proceeded to the altar and Lynn and her father waited for The Wedding March to begin.
Finally, the music started and the crowd came to their feet. Lynn, on her father's arm, walked proudly down the aisle to the altar. Matt watched her intently as she walked. Their eyes met and she smiled radiantly. When she finally reached him, Matt took her arm and stood proudly, ready to be wed. The priest began the mass, and when he got to the homily, he turned his attention to the bride and groom.
"Matt and Lynn, you are getting married at a very difficult time. I know the world is at peace, the economy is good and all seems well, but there is still great danger, especially to a young couple just starting out. You see, never in the history of the world have there been more distractions and temptations set before you by the fallen angel, Lucifer. What are these temptations? They take the form of money, fancy cars, lavish foods, liquor, drugs, gambling, and promiscuity, just to name a few.
"The last two decades of the twentieth century were an abomination. In just twenty years the morals of our country quite literally fell into the gutter. Divorce has become a tragic reality for 60 percent of marriages today. Why has this happened?" He opened the Bible and began reading,” ‘For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.' The love of money, this is the sickness that festers in our society today, and this is why I say you are getting married at a difficult time, indeed a perilous time."
Matt looked over and glared at me. I had suggested to Father Bob that money might be a good topic for his homily. We had a long discussion about materialism and the decay of the family. Matt shook his head and looked at Lynn who was rolling her eyes.
"Matt and Lynn, listen to my words. Your only hope of survival is your love of God and each other. Turn away from the temptations that surround you and keep your sights on the Lord. Live a modest, happy life . . . Avoid the lavish lifestyle that will lead you ultimately to the house of Satan."
Following the marriage ceremony there was a reception at the Dallas Country Club and then the newlyweds flew off to Cancun for a brief honeymoon. When they returned, they set in motion their plans for Matt's new bankruptcy practice. They incorporated the practice as Debt Relief Centers of Texas, P.C. They planned to open three offices initially in Dallas, Arlington, and Fort Worth. Each location had a staff of one attorney, a secretary, and a paralegal. Matt and I worked hard for several weeks setting up their systems and getting ready for the commencement of business. Finally, in mid-July they opened their doors.
Business was slow the first few days but picked up quickly as people began to spot their ad in TV Week. By the end of the month they had done twenty-one bankruptcies which were just four shy of their first month’s target. In August they did thirty-two which would have been good for most practitioners but it wasn't enough to cover the overhead of three offices. One afternoon in September, Matt, Lynn, and I met at their Dallas office to discuss the situation and to determine what needed to be done to ensure their survival and future success.
"We seemed to have leveled off at thirty to thirty-five bankruptcies. I really don't understand why," Matt said.
"That number should jump when the Dallas phone book comes out in December, don't you think?"
"Right, but that's nearly two months off. At the rate we're going we'll lose another twenty grand by then."
"I warned you two you were moving too fast," I said. “Bankruptcy is a tough business and there's a lot of competition. I'm sure the other bankruptcy firms have beefed up their advertising to keep you from stealing their business."
"That's the problem," Lynn said, "we're competing for the same amount of business that has always been out there. Somehow we've got to increase the number of bankruptcy filings and capture the new business so the existing firms won't feel threatened."
"How do you propose to do that?" I said.
"I'm working on some TV ads, but it's going to be expensive to air them. We don't have the money right now to do it."
"Don't look at me, I’m not going to invest in the competition," I said.
Matt shook his head and replied, "I guess I'll have to borrow some money from the bank. They've offered me a $50,000 line of credit."
"Do you have any idea how hard it will be to pay back that kind of money? If the TV campaign doesn't work, you'll be sunk."
"It will work," Matt said, and then looked at Lynn. "Won't it, honey?"
"I think so, but obviously there are no guarantees."
"I'm not looking for guarantees, just a good probability of success."
"Have you got the TV ads approved by the state bar?"
"We've submitted them but we haven't heard back yet," Matt said. "They're supposed to make a decision within thirty days, so we should be hearing soon."
"Well, it's your call,” I said. “I don't think I can add much to what has been said, so I'm going to go."
"What's your hurry?"
"I've got to get ready for a §727 trial tomorrow."
"Really, why is the trustee objecting to the discharge?"
"My client started a cosmetics business. It was one of those multi-level marketing deals. Unfortunately, he neglected to get it properly licensed and the Attorney General shut him down. A lot of people lost their shirt."
"Was it like a pyramid scheme?"
"Kind of like that. Basically, the first guy signs up three or four people to sell product. They each have to buy some product themselves, of course. Then those people in turn sell to three or four other people. Each time the number of new salesmen multiplies. After six or seven levels there are literally thousands of salesmen in the down line. As a result, sales soar and profits increase geometrically."
"Pretty slick. Well, good luck at the trial."
"Thanks, I'll need it," I said, and then embraced Matt. Lynn smiled and gave me a hug.
Lynn said, "Thanks for your help, Dad. We really appreciate it."
Over the next thirty days the situation didn't change. Matt acquired his fifty-thousand-dollar line of credit so he could pay his bills and Lynn readied her TV commercials for airing. On Sunday night they cuddled in bed in front of their bedroom TV to watch the first commercial which was scheduled during the 10 o'clock news.
The first shot they saw was of a man at his desk paying bills. The camera focused on the huge stack of bills and the obvious distress of the man trying to pay them. Suddenly the man let out a cry of despair and with one swipe of his hand, sent the bills flying. Then he turned to the camera and said, "What's the use! There just isn't enough money to go around."
The scene changed to Matt's office where he is seated at his desk working. As the camera pans in on him, he stops what he is doing and addresses the audience. "If you've got more bills than you can possibly pay, it may be time to consider bankruptcy. The law says you have a right to a fresh start. Most people who finally file bankruptcy complain that they waited and suffered too long before they filed. You shouldn't make the same mistake. Give us a call for a free consultation to see if you're eligible to file."
The scene changed back to the man who was seen earlier. Now he is calm and tranquil and only a few bills are left on his desk. He looks up and says, "Since I filed bankruptcy, everything has been so much better. The phone has quit ringing, my wife and I are talking again and we're actually starting to save some money. What I keep asking myself is: why did I wait?"
Fin
ally, the camera shifts back to Matt and he concludes, "If you can't pay your bills as they come due you're probably eligible to file bankruptcy. Call for a free consultation and we will be happy to tell you if bankruptcy is the answer for you. Give us a call at any of the three Debt Relief Centers from nine to five, Monday through Saturday. We're looking forward to helping you get out of debt and back on the road to financial security. Thank you."
At the conclusion of the commercial, Lynn looked over at Matt and smiled. "Well, what do you think?"
"It looked good to me, but I guess tomorrow morning we'll really find out how good it was."
"I'm scared, what if it's a bomb?" Lynn said.
"Then we'll punt and try something different."
"Yeah, but you'll have lost all of your savings and with all your student loans and the $50,000 you just borrowed. . . . You'll owe more than $100,000."
"I know and I couldn't file bankruptcy. That wouldn't be an option. I could never look my father in the eye again. It would be too humiliating."
"No, no way. You couldn't do that. We just have to make it work. We don't have any choice."
Matt and Lynn watched the rest of the news and, when it was over, shut off the TV and the lights and tried to go to sleep. It was a restless night for them both, tossing and turning, dreaming of success and failure until the first rays of sunlight entered their bedroom window. They were exhausted before they got up. At breakfast the conversation was brief; they just looked at each other wondering what the day would bring.
They got to the Dallas office at 8:45. The staff was just arriving and a fresh pot of coffee was brewing. Matt started sorting through his mail and faxes and Lynn chatted with the receptionist.
"So did you see the ad?" Lynn asked.
"Yes, I loved it," the receptionist said. "Rob, my boyfriend, watched it with me and he said he was thinking about filing."
"Really," Lynn laughed and then looked down at her watch. "Better take the phones off forwarding. It's nearly nine o'clock."
The receptionist picked up the phone, hit seven-three and then put the receiver down. Matt walked into the reception area and smiled at Lynn. She looked at him anxiously. The phones were quiet.
"A watched pot never boils. Let's just get to work."
Lynn sighed and then walked into the kitchen and pulled two cups out of the cabinet. Matt followed her and put his hands on her shoulders and began massaging her back. She closed her eyes and enjoyed his magical fingers. She loved to have Matt rub her back. The kitchen phone rang, she jumped and looked at Matt. They strained their ears to hear what the receptionist was saying. She hung up.
"Who was that?" Lynn yelled.
"Your envelopes are ready to be picked up at the printers."
"Oh . . . shit! I thought the ad was good. It's almost ten after nine and we haven't got one call."
"Maybe putting them in the 10 o'clock news was a bad idea."
"The station said that would be a good time."
"You know. The first ad isn't going to be enough to convince anyone to file bankruptcy. They're going to have to mull it over, think about it for a while. I bet it will be a few days before the phone starts ringing."
The phone rang again. This time the receptionist buzzed them in the kitchen. "New prospect on line two."
Lynn smiled as Matt picked up the line. As he was talking, the phone rang again. Lynn heard the receptionist refer the caller to the legal assistant. She walked into the legal assistant's office to confirm that it was new business. Satisfied that it was she went back to the kitchen, where Matt was just hanging up.
"Well?"
"He's coming in at two."
"Good. Did he see the ad?"
"No," Matt laughed. "He found us in the telephone book."
"Oh." Lynn said and then went to the counter and poured a cup of coffee. When she turned, the legal assistant was there smiling.
"Well, the guy on the phone said he saw the ad and decided to call us.
"So, is he coming in?"
"No, he just wants a free brochure."
"Oh," Lynn said and then took a sip of her coffee.
"What do you think I did wrong, Matt?"
"Nothing, just try to relax. It's just going to take some time."
The phones were only slightly more active the rest of the week. Lynn’s TV ads hadn't even increased business enough to pay for their cost. She didn't understand it. She watched them over and over again, trying to figure out why they weren't effective. Matt was very patient and supportive but she could tell he was scared. Their money was running out and it wouldn't be long before they would have to close the two satellite offices. She sat in her office, staring out the window when it hit her. She got up and walked into Matt's office.
"Honey," Lynn said. "I'm going over to SMU to talk to Professor Gray, my marketing professor. Maybe he can tell me what's wrong with the ad."
"That's a good idea, honey. He'll probably spot the problem right off."
"Okay, I'll be back before five."
"Good luck."
Lynn arrived at the SMU campus and parked. It was a warm July day with a light wind from the south. As she strolled past the Student Union, memories of her college days flooded her mind. She loved the majestic SMU campus with its giant trees and luscious grass. It was so shady she barely noticed the sweltering heat. As she neared her destination, she ran into a familiar face.
"Professor Swensen . . . Hi."
"Lynn, is that you?"
"Yes, it is."
"What brings you on campus?"
"I was going to see Professor Gray. I had him last semester for marketing and I needed a little advice."
"Oh. . . . So, I hear you got married."
"Yes, I met this wonderful guy, Matt Coleman. He's an attorney."
"Yes, I know. I saw him on TV."
"Oh, what did you think?"
"Frankly, I was disappointed."
"Oh, you were."
"Yes, I hate to see the legal profession stoop to such depths. What happened to professionalism?"
"This is the twenty-first century, professor. It's the age of electronics. Everybody advertises on TV."
"I know, but have you ever seen sharks circle a wounded whale, waiting to go in for the kill, and then fighting each other over the carcass? It's rather frightening and reminds me of what I saw Sunday night."
"But that's not what Matt's doing. He's trying to help all those people who are hopelessly in debt."
"But why? Why does he want to help them?"
"Because he cares."
"Ha!" the professor said. "Really, do you think everyone is stupid? Your husband is pleading, begging them to go bankrupt so he can make a nice fat fee. He doesn't give a damn about his clients. That's one thing that was obvious."
"Is that what it looked like?"
The professor nodded.
"Well, maybe that's why it didn't work. Matt came off as just another greedy attorney trying to get rich off of other people’s misery."
"Precisely. He's going to have to convince people he cares about them and not just making money in order to gain their trust. He has to be on a mission for truth and justice. I like the name of the practice, the Debt Relief Center. God knows people need relief from the interest trap."
"What do you mean, interest trap?"
"You know. We talked about it in class. From the day you are born you are indoctrinated on how important credit is to everyone. You're told over and over again that good credit is the secret to financial success and happiness in life. You're barraged with advertisements for all the expensive luxury items you can buy right now on credit and nearly everyone takes the bait.
“They get a house they can't afford, a luxury car they don't need, and run up a half dozen credit cards to the hilt. Before you know it you're a slave to the system. Most of your hard-earned money is going to banks and mortgage companies in interest payments. You pay and pay and pay, yet the balance you owe never goes down. Soon the joy
is gone in your life—happiness is replaced with constant worry and depression."
"Jesus, that's depressing."
"But, am I wrong?"
"No, now that I think about it, you're right on the money. I can't believe the scam that's being played on the American people."
"Exactly, and if you put your husband on TV to expose that scam, then you'll get people's attention."
"Hmm, I'm glad I ran into you, professor. I guess I got what I came here for. I think I'll go back to the office and discuss what you said with Matt. I think he'll be excited. Do you mind if he calls you and discusses what we've been talking about?"
"No, by all means, have him call me."
"Do you have statistics and documentation of all of this?"
"Of course, I've been studying the phenomenon for years. I'd love to share it with Matt."
"Good, thanks again."
"Bye."