My 6-year-old came into my basement office and was fascinated by what I was doing. At first I thought he was amazed by my giant monitor, but it turned out he was digging my wireless mouse. He picked it up and tried using it sideways on the wall by my desk, which was close enough to work. Then he tried the desk across the room with no luck. At this point I freaked out a little because I had open a Gmail reply to a bunch of lawyers about a contract — I didn’t want him to send it by mistake before I finished writing my message.
When I explained to him that I was writing lawyers and needed the mouse back immediately he asked me what lawyers are. I told him that police make sure people follow the laws, but lawyers actually create the laws. They decide what you can and can’t do and these people I’m writing are lawyers who write contracts. I also explained that contracts are agreements, like written promises.
Then I asked him if he knew anyone who used to be a lawyer. He said he didn’t. I told him that my father used to be a lawyer. He said, “Wow!” and then ran off and immediately told his brother that their grandfather used to be a lawyer. He could only have been more excited if I had told him his grandfather was a retired jedi.
What I didn’t tell him was that my dad told me repeatedly that “lawyering sucks” and that I could pick any other career but that one. I’ll hold onto that one. Hopefully this marveling at lawyers thing is just a phase.
Brian Alvey 