Changing of the Guards

 

With my job there is very little routine. Sure, there are routine tasks, such as prepping cases, calling clients, writing hearing briefs, etc., but there is no routine schedule. No two weeks look the same. Some mornings it takes me a few minutes to even remember what city I am in, let alone when my hearing starts. Those things always change.

So when there are constants in my ever-changing week, I appreciate them. For example, this morning I was in Corpus Christi. I knew that I would park at the 10 hour meter parking that costs only 50 cents an hour. I knew that the front desk lady would wave Good Morning and smile at me like we knew each other better than we did. I knew I would take the elevator to the 16th floor with the great ocean view. I knew the assigned Judge would ask me to pass along well wishes to a fellow attorney,  even though he and I both know he doesn't actually mean it due to their disagreeable past. And I knew that Derek*, my good security guard friend, would be waiting for me, to discuss sports as usual.

Derek loved baseball, especially. In fact, he had played at the University of Houston and for the Corpus Christi Hooks. He stopped when his son was born so he could be close to home. He recently started playing on weekends for a league in Mexico. Or so he told me.

A few months ago the topic of conversation was college football. We talked about Texas, Kevin Sumlin, Case Keenum, etc. I don't know everything about college football, but I know enough. He had remarked,

"You mean to tell me - you're not married, and you don't have a boyfriend, and you know this much about football? Some guy is going to be really lucky."

"Well, if I ever find one, I'll send him your way so you can tell him that."

"Send him. I'll tell him."

So I liked Derek and was looking forward to seeing him. I had failed to follow the college bowls as closely as I usually do though and was a little worried I wouldn't be able to keep up my image as a girl-who-knows-enough-about-football.

I was surprised when I exited the elevator to see someone, other than Derek, sitting in his seat by the window.

"I'm used to seeing Derek here, is he taking the day off or something?" I ask the new guard.

"No, he got arrested."

"He got arrested?!"

"Yeah, he won't be coming back."

"What did he get arrested for?"

"Impersonating a U.S. Marshal. It was all over the news. You can check it out online."

"What?!"

I hadn't known it before, but apparently Derek was known around the department for telling tall-tales.  (So about playing baseball for UH, the Hooks, and Mexico...)

The judge was running late and I immediately search for the news story on my phone. Sure enough, there it was: "Tow Truck Driver Claims he was Ordered at Gunpoint to Tow a Car." Holy cow. He was arrested along with his passenger who was charged with drug possession.

I'm used to hearing stories like this, but from my clients, not my security guard friends who at times have to protect me from my clients (this happened once). I guess people are more than meets the eye, but dang it, sometimes I wish they weren't. I'm certainly hoping this was an aberration, an error in judgment, and even though he'll spend time behind bars, he'll get out and not be such an idiot. He was doing something right in his life at least at one point to have passed a background check and drug test and get issued a gun. But man, shape up people. Say no to drugs. Think before you act. And leave the tall-tales, half-truths, and flat-out lies at home. Better yet, leave them all together.

For now, I'll have to get used to New Guard and wait for time to turn him into a Corpus Christi constant. I hope it doesn't take long and I certainly hope our relationship doesn't end quite so dramatically. Until then, I'll try to enjoy the ocean view. It's a much better view than the one behind bars.

*No, I did not use his real name or link to the article. If you want to find it, you can. Even though I'm sharing his story here, I though I'd spare him at least that.