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.

I’m waiting in court for my jury to come back with its guilty verdict when another case is called. It’s a Motion for New Trial. The lawyer for the convicted defendant is so angry. Amazed to see how he really goes over the edge with the judge. He’s actually being abusive to her. “Well you didn’t even read my brief.” “Yes I did, counsel and I don’t like your tone.” “It’s been sitting in front of you the whole morning and you never took a look at it. I was watching.” I’m very curious – how much shit is she going to take from this guy? His eyes are bulging. He looks like he hadn’t slept in days. Was he high? It ended without him being sent to lockup – which I thought it would. As he walks by I say to him - “I thought you were about to go join your client” and looked towards the lockup. “Well this is a serious case”, he says. I couldn’t believe he said that. Is he kidding? Like my case isn’t “serious”. Asshole.