What a day! It started early, it ended late, and it was hectic all the way through. At one time today, I actually had four different clients in my office at the same time while another person was on the phone attempting to make an immediate appointment. I had a hearing scheduled in the afternoon in which I needed to prepare some much needed paperwork, and all these people were demanding my attention. It was not bad enough that I had to arrive early for one couple that could not schedule an appointment during my office hours (it conflicted too greatly with their own busy schedule), but after they finally left, my morning was this endless barrage of people wanting my attention.
Finally lunch arrived, and all I had for the afternoon was that hearing. Of course, I still had to get my papers in order, so I worked though lunch. Just after my secretary returned from her lunch, we start getting calls from the clients involved in the 1:30 hearing. They had actually left town after having been in my office at 9:00 this morning to drop off some forms. Now they were lost and were running late. I went to inform the court. The judge is understanding but says he has a doctor's appointment at 2:00. Great, so I spend the next 30 minutes running between the office and the courthouse in 100 degree heat passing along information to the judge and other attorney regarding the status of my client's arrival. The case is an uncontested matter to prove up heirship. The last call is at 1:40 and the clients are asking for directions. I provide the directions, but know from the description of where they are calling from that there is no way they will arrive prior to 2:00. I requested a reset to tomorrow morning. Thankfully, the Court agreed.
These clients are in from the Carolinas and had specifically requested, more than two months ago, that I get a hearing set on this date because of their vacation schedules. I had been juggling my calendar for over a month to make sure that absolutely nothing interfered with this hearing. Something did: my clients!
Fine! At least I got the other attorney to look over my paperwork. It never hurts to insure that another attorney is not going to throw a monkey wrench into your proceedings. She is representing the unknown heirs, and, of course, there are none. She does, however, have the right to object to the form of my paperwork. Some changes are suggested, so I use my suddenly granted free time to cross every T and dot every I to her specifications. I made just the right amount of copies of each document and everything is in place so that my 9:00 hearing for tomorrow will take all of about five minutes. As I seemed to already have blown what was supposed to be a easy morning tomorrow, I also agreed to schedule two juvenile proceedings presided over by the same judge.
Finally, about 4:00, I was caught up. My secretary is busy finally online taking her Notary test, as I have been asking her do for several weeks. It is quiet and an hour from closing time. Oh, wait, they had told me my car would be ready this afternoon, but no one has called. I call the tranny shop expecting to hear Sorry, we didn't get to it today, maybe tomorrow, but nope: Your car is ready to go, was my answer. All I need to do is show up with $1,120.00 before 5:30.
I had borrowed my friend's truck, but I still had to figure out how to get it and my car back from the neighboring town and then how to return it back to my friend in another neighboring town. The best luck I had all day was finding a neighbor playing eight liners (slot machines that pay in tickets that you can exchange for merchandise that are illegal everywhere in Texas except here) who agreed to ride with me to the neighboring town, then follow me in the truck to return the truck, then ride back with me to our town. Total time: two hours. I asked him how much I owed him for his time. Nada! He would not even let me buy him a six pack of beer. Now I owe him a favor. I can hardly wait to see what is requested when that chip is cashed in. I am tired. I can't think. I am hopeful that no one will mind if I take a break tonight.
Those of you who have not read my treatise on stay at home motherhood, or what I said about James Lileks' wife losing her job, or what I said about Texas justice, please feel free to do so. Those of you who have already read everything I have written . . . I guess that might be Scott . . . well I might be rested up enough to think later. Right now I am without a conscious thought.
Posted by Tiger at June 30, 2003 07:12 PM