One of my previous lives
"We just don't recognize the most significant moments of our lives while they're happening," Dr Archibald "Moonlight" Graham from Field of Dreams.
And it's only Tuesday: This week I ran into two people I use to work with in my former life as a litigation paralegal for a law firm. These days, I hardly ever think about that time period ten years ago when I was a different person in a different life. Before running and marathons truly became a part of my life. Sure, there would be times when I was stressed out about work at the No-Name Software Company when I would dream that I was back at the law firm and found myself on a case that was about to go to trial in 5 minutes and I had to find some demonstrative exhibits. But for the most part, that is a world I no longer think about.
The paralegals use to whine about how they were sub-citizens in the law firm fiefdom. I remember once at a Jewel just after I was let go from the law firm I ran into this relatively new paralegal. She wanted to talk to me but she was in such a hurry that she couldn't stop for two minutes just to chat. yet we kept running into each other in every aisle.
One of the ironies is that whenever I bump into a lawyer from the old law firm, no matter how much of a hurry they might be in, they will always, always stop and take a few seconds to say hello and ask how I'm doing.
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Because that is when he peaked: The Sunday of the NFL Football Championship games, I got together with two friends. Karen and I went to high school together and though we didn't start to hang out until I transferred to UIC, we have been good friends ever since. I introduced her to her husband -- though I insist that won't hold up in court. The other friend Dan we know from UIC but also from volleyball. Before marathons and running took my life over, I was big into volleyball.
Because that is when he peaked: The Sunday of the NFL Football Championship games, I got together with two friends. Karen and I went to high school together and though we didn't start to hang out until I transferred to UIC, we have been good friends ever since. I introduced her to her husband -- though I insist that won't hold up in court. The other friend Dan we know from UIC but also from volleyball. Before marathons and running took my life over, I was big into volleyball.
Not so much for the playing aspect. If I got a lot of practice in, I was decent but there were many who were much better than me. But I liked the social aspect. After the sun went down, we would go to a nearby bar and drink and socialize.
Dan was married to an Au Par from the Czek Republic that he met back in 1998 through volleyball. They were together for a couple of years but got divorced in 2000 or 2001. I'm not sure exactly when. The point I want to make is that Dan use to be The Guy. When Karen and I where still in college, he was already making good coin at the stock exchange.
But since his divorce, he has quietly left the spotlight and seems to be on hard times. He seems to be strapped for cash and misses his time with his ex-wife. While he still laughs and has a smile on his face, he longs for those days when he was higher up on the social ladder. Did I mention that he also misses his ex wife.
But since his divorce, he has quietly left the spotlight and seems to be on hard times. He seems to be strapped for cash and misses his time with his ex-wife. While he still laughs and has a smile on his face, he longs for those days when he was higher up on the social ladder. Did I mention that he also misses his ex wife.
