Two more men take their places for the next confrontation.  Their case involves damages done to a lawn by straying cows.

No one disputes that the defendant’s cows caused the damage; it’s the restitution that’s at issue.  The plaintiff says the plaintiff promised to come over and fix things up in the spring, once the soil dried out from the winter rains, but that he never followed up—except to eventually offer a few dollars to have a landscaper do the work.

He produces a landscaper’s estimate for an inch of topsoil and reseeding.  He says the defendant’s offer won’t begin to cover expenses.

The defendant shows a the judge a few Polaroid pictures taken of the plaintiff’s lawn this morning.  He claims that nothing of great beauty was destroyed in the first place.

The two men begin to argue between themselves.

The judge ignores them.  He studies claims...estimates...photographs.  Then he interrupts them to announce his ruling.

It is in favor of the plaintiff—but for a smaller amount than had been demanded.  He looks at the defendant.

"Now on something like this, Mr. Bennett, you could have gotten over and worked something out.  But time went by...and finally you offered him twenty dollars.  But that wasn’t the right approach."