A week of significance (aren’t they all, but still…)
Three things popped up in my mind this morning so rather than trim around the edges, I’ll just get in whole hog.
I got a flier on Facebook about a thing called a PastBook, a random collection of my FB posted photographs from the last ten years. Being a sucker for such mild egomania and curious to see what it all looked like, I ordered the book and once received, was delighted to look through it and see all the mess and carryings on I have bumbled my way through over the past decade. The photo of me which accompanies this Blog was taken up in The Plains, Virginia some eight-nine years ago. I was a guest and spectator at a fancy polo match and someone pulled up in that very snappy Oldsmobile Cutlass 442. What a memory! I had the very same car, in beige and brown leather, right after I graduated from Chapel Hill. It was the neatest, best car I ever owned. I should never have parted with it. Not only would it be a ‘Collector’s Item’ today, I would have babied it like a fool. Why I sent it on its way, I will never recall or understand. It truly represented that wonderful line, “You don’t miss your water ’til your well runs dry.” So, boys and girls, remember: sometimes it’s better to hang on just a little while longer. I’m not one for living in the past and I surely am not a hoarder (OK, maybe, except for books…) and I’m not much for re-coursing my history and its arc but this one is an exception to that rule. And this little, additional vignette does stay with me.
Some years ago I was sitting with a nice friend-who is still a nice friend, thank goodness! Having a beer and a cheeseburger after a time, all on my bad behavior part, of an exploded romance and ensuing emotional destitution. It was raining hard outside the bar. We were just yacking about this and that and then she looked at me and asked, out of left field, “You seem like a pretty nice guy. Don’t you have a girlfriend?” I replied that I used to but I had messed it all up to a point beyond repair and that it was a bad thing and I regretted it all immensely. She paused and then looked at me levelly with a kind smile on her face and noted, “Well, that doesn’t sound very nice and I think that’s out of character for you but it was a good while ago and time passes and besides, if you hadn’t messed up, you never would have met me.”’
Things to think about…
I had a restless, difficult time sleeping this past Sunday night. I was excited with anticipation as child might be on the eve of Christmas. I got up early, about 5:30 a.m. and made my bed and fussed about and straightened both my desk and work table up, making deftly organized stacks. I ran the dishwasher, did laundry, made a list of all sorts of tasks and errands that called for my attention, balanced my checkbook, made sure my bills were paid, gathered up my dry cleaning, plumped up the pillows in my den, gathered up all the old magazines to take to the hospital auxiliary. I went and bought my three newspapers and green tea (suggest go with Matcha!) and came home and showered and dressed shucking my less than dignified track shorts and T-shirt. I was almost (but not quite) nervous and breathless with excitement. I went to an appointment an hour early to make sure I was going to be in the right place.
I was in the right place. They asked my name. I told them. They said, “We’re ready for you now if you like.” I replied that I was ready.
And then they took me to the back, put me a chair and stuck my first dose of Covid vaccine in my arm.
Don’t ever tell me that there isn’t a huge thing called ‘Hope’ out there.
As many of you know, I have been a trial lawyer for more than 45 years now. Described by others as hard charging with a sense of humor and many unorthodox ways that have proved successful, I have never been a legal scholar or pedant. I use to revel in all my cases, how much fun they were, how we were going to find the money and drive the other side half-crazy. No more. I have just about run out of runway. I have 2 cases left. One is a truck crash, the other an obstetrical botch up. The truck crash is to be mediated in a few days. It’s time to recalibrate. I have loved practicing law but it is time to go with my head up and brain and skills intact. I have found my next professional ‘love’. Writing. By time this is read, I will have started my third novel which will be titled, ’SLIM AND NONE’. I promise I will keep you posted.