THE BEST GIG IN THE WORLD

I'm sitting in Long Beach waiting for my case to be called. I've been there since 830am- it's 1030am already. I'm there to set a preliminary hearing for a new case - a little homicide. There are two defendants - it would've been zip zip but the attorney for the other guy hasn't showed up. The DA got tired of waiting and went back to her office. I'm calling this lawyer and calling him - I'm calling and he's not coming. There's nothing I can do until he comes. Then this guy sits down next to me in front of "the bar". I've seen him around for years. Never had a conversation with him. He's got a pony tail and I'm prejudiced. We start talking about this DA dying. "We're dropping like flies" he says. I agree. Then he says how he goes to a court sometimes where's he's been going for 30 years and nobody knows him and he doesn't know anybody. I empathize. And then he said "but you know - this is still the best gig in the world isn't it?" "Yeah it is." I agreed.