Slight Rant and then some Substance

If you are going to have a Top Ten of something please limit it to ten. Now that the weather has turned cold I'm stuck on the trainer on Mondays and Fridays. I spend the first half of my 90 minutes reading but then I turn on the t.v. and watch the news. However, commercials annoy me so I flip channels and occasionally land up on ESPN. It's Monday so that means that some fat-used-to-be-good sports broadcaster has his top ten countdown for the previous week. Top ten to this fat man means something close to 30 or 40 plays. It is so long and so overly involved that they go to commercial at number 5 and then do the remaining when they come back. Is this just a pathetic attempt to fill space and provide camera time for a washed up sportscaster or what? ESPN, please give it up. Top ten means ten and not every single thing that ever happened.

I watched a death penalty oral argument today. These are always intense because it doesn't take much for you to remember that someone's life is hanging in the balance. Today I sat in the back row as is my usual thing. However, this time I was seated near to the family of the deceased victim. The victim here was only 6 months old and therefore made the case even more emotional and tense. Seated an arms length in front of me was the victim's mother, grandmother and the rest of the family. Emotions were heightened and tears were definitely shed. At the same time it was clear that the defendant's family was seated on the other side of the room. Equally pitched to see the argument and clearly aware of the desperate situation that their family member was now in.

I tried to watch the reaction in the audience. It was clear that the mother of the victim was tortured, absolutely tortured by the entire experience. I can not even imagine what she must have been going through, however, I was amazed by how she kept her composure, all the time clutching her child's favorite play toy. It is an amazing moment of time to watch the justice system work. Despite the situation and the desperation of the moment everyone remanded calm and civil. The lawyers stood and argued and no one made a spectacle.

I see now the importance the lawyer plays even more clearly than before. Watching the families hang on every word said knowing full well that their's was a role of silence. They were powerless in that courtroom and completely dependant on their advocate. How incredible a sight it was and how very impressive the entire system is to me. Despite my limited years of life and even more limited years of practice I will be someone's voice. I will speak while they remain silent. The greyhaired members of the world will quietly listen to me and place their last moment of trust in me...and I must do them right.