My first year as a lawyer I was on one of my first unaccompanied phone calls ever with opposing counsel, doing something that in retrospect seems boring but that at the time had me anxious and nervous. I can't remember the details but it was, if not contentious, at least adversarial. I was looking out my window while on the phone, as I always do, and suddenly interrupted the other lawyer by bursting out with, "Oh, boy, are you near a window?! There's a beautiful rainbow outside -- it's so pretty, you've really got to see it." It was, too. But the lawyer was totally nonplussed. He paused for a moment, said nothing, and then went on. I felt a little bit like a dope but mostly sorry for him. He must not be near a window, I figured.
Today I was on the phone with different opposing counsel proposing a deal and fielding his questions, most of which were over my head. I was looking out the window watching a raincloud move its way across the harbor away from me, and as it did so a perfect shimmery rainbow materialized in front of it, clean and small and lovely, over the water and the buildings and almost perfectly framed by my window.
I didn't say anything, just kept negotiating, as I watched it shimmer and slowly fade away.
i am surprised that there was no comment on this post! i was (am?) so touched by your story about the rainbows. the first part inspired me, that in the middle of doing business, that human impulse to enjoy nature and to share it arose. and the second part left me with a sense of melancholy, that sometimes, parcicipating in a profession -- more often than not, perhaps, in law i wonder -- precludes that joy. but then again, it was still there for you. what does it mean that you did not share it?
Posted by: abt | January 08, 2005 at 03:17 PM