What Might Have Been

This was inspired by a discussion I had with C.S., my boy from l-school. We get along because we lived in the dorms, we both sent Simpsons/Futurama/Family Guy quotes to each other over the internets, we both like reading, and we both hated the law. Plus, there was that one time when we almost made each other break down laughing/crying during a Con Law II class when we were discuss D&X abortions and the legality thereof. If there was not a worse time to laugh, I don't know when it is.

After l-school (coming up on one year, my word), we attended bar review together, and helped to keep each other sane. Then, our careers diverged. He went into the law, and I went into captioning. Really, no one should have been surprised by either of our choices. I made a leap (of faith? of foolishness?) into technical writing. He's still in the law.

C.S. was just mentioning how he had an all day meeting, and how he began to understand what was wrong with them. Somehow, it led into how dissatisfied he was with the law, which he has been, more or less, since day one. Those golden handcuffs are cinched on real tight, I think. (Side note: The "golden handcuffs" chain you to the law because you get paid so much money, you become accustomed to a certain lifestyle. Career changes generally bring a decrease in pay, significant enough that you cannot afford the change. Hence, "golden handcuffs.")

I didn't even need to ask him if he was happy. He flat out stated he wasn't. And really, it would be so easy to rectify. Well, I say it would be so easy. It's not. He is trained to be a lawyer. The world is trained to view him as a lawyer. Jumping out is hard. I know, I've done it twice, and both times the heavens rained good fortune down on me. Think I may have sent out over 150 job applications the first time around.

It's not right. It's not fair. C.S. isn't one of those rare people that can do anything, but there's a lot of stuff he could do, if only given the chance. Really, that's all any of us want, when you get down to it. A single chance to make right, to do good, to insert a cliche of your own choosing. At the rate he's going, he may never get his chance. He'll keep on trudging until the law discards him like an empty banana peel.

In a feeble attempt to raise his spirits, I joked that I should come to work for his firm. He laughed, said that would be great, we'd have fun, and he'd never get any work done. Now, there is no way they would ever hire me, and there is almost no way I'd apply for a job at a law firm (even at my lowest, I only applied for two lawyer jobs). Still, I guess it's a question of how far you will go for your friends, and I have to say, I'm not man/crazy enough to take that step. Yet.