I'd run blindfold down the King's Road Monday morning in Book Five: Working Through the Maze 2018

I have a feeling that the best way forward with this today will be to simply keep it open all day and add to it as time goes on.

I woke up on time today, felt too much pain, said “fuck it” and went back to bed without setting an alarm. Woke up at 7, took care of a small stress-relief exercise, and took a long shower in hopes that the warm water would soothe some of the permanently tense muscle areas. Then I drove to work. Got into the office in time to see, as one described it, “The largest cockroach I’ve ever seen” crawling along the floor. Sat down in my chair, not surprised nobody else was there, and pulled up my E-Mail and Electronic docket. Through taking care of those items, I swept past 18 minutes of work and reviewed some of the extra bullshit from my bosses. But first… I printed out my 4 page resignation letter. Only to wade into the quagmires of law for the next several hours.

Until White Boss stormed into the office after a hearing that didn’t go his way. Problem, I was on the phone trying to leave a nice rational voice message to a Prosecutor. Because he walks in, grabs his phone, and starts shouting at his wife. The exact words were “I thought you’d be at work by now! No, I thought you’d be in the office! We got a client who doesn’t understand what is going on and I need you to explain it to him!” So… his voice shouting can likely be heard on my voicemail. Here’s the thing… this client has a gun permit. But he was drunk at Wal Mart. In the state of Iowa, it is illegal to be in possession of a gun while intoxicated. Obviously, as this is a hunting state, that law isn’t enforced unless it poses a threat to public safety. Our client was drunk at wal mart and had a hand gun on him. When he was arrested for Public Intox, he was charged with the gun violation. Now, even if this violation was a simple citation, as a gun charge- this makes the client deportable. Because all gun charges make people deportable. White Boss was trying to get the State to remove the gun charge. The State has orders from the top that, since we are now a “Stand Your Ground” State… we don’t go easy on gun violations. If the legislature wants to make it legal to shoot someone similar to Trayvon Martin… the executive branch is going to be tougher on gun violations that they can charge. So… White Boss is upset that a Chinese Guy who got drunk and went to wal mart might get deported because the State won’t “play nice.” He’s upset because he’s been at work for 3 hours and his wife, our Chinese speaking attorney, hasn’t shown up yet. Meanwhile, our client is upset that he is getting a gun charge when he has a permit and refuses to accept that Iowa has a law that specifically reads “WHETHER a permit is held or not, going in public while intoxicated while carrying a firearm is a criminal offense.” So… since White Boss is upset that (1) we have to deal with Chinese people when we can’t speak the language and don’t have someone here who can; (2) that the Chinese guy doesn’t trust his White Attorney… and all the fun stuff I usually bitch about when trying to deal with Chinese Clients.......... he has decided that I need to do more on this case. Yup. Case gets frustrating, hand it to me. Riiiiiiiight. So I did some research, allowed White Boss to scold me for not including all paperwork into a file (a file that is his bloody case) but whatever. I get how things work. Chinese Boss gives number 1 priority to whatever crosses her face first; White Boss gives number 1 priority to whatever is stressing him out most. They both think that I should be working on their priorities. Which means… we’re not even to Noon yet, and I am already exhausted from having to hop between Chinese Boss Projects, White Boss Projects, and My Own Projects. LoL… when you consider I barely got 4 billable hours on Monday and today I’m already at 26 billable hours… Pushing hard. But that means between how busy they are keeping me and how scarce they are keeping themselves… it is going to be a bit of a challenge trying to get them my resignation.

NOON HOUR
It is now Noon. Bosses have been shut in their office for a good thirty minutes. I need to go get some food. I am now convinced that one of two things will be said. (1) “You’re just hitting your groove!” To which I will think, but not say, your early failures to lead do not require me to stay on now that you’re considering trying to be leaders. (2) “Do you have any idea how screwed this makes us?” To which I will think, but not say, I am giving you 6 weeks to figure your shit out for my departure. Legally, I am only required to give NO notice. Professionally, I would give two weeks at a minimum. Rarely would you get more than four weeks. If you feel that my exit with six weeks lead time is too damaging to your firm; perhaps that will act as a demonstration to you for how much you were relying on my willingness to do everything I’m told without objection or complaint.

Except… before I could jump into their arguing to hand in my resignation; they handed me their work Cell Phone and said that they were off to a meeting. (sarcastic) Super.

2:23 p.m.
Here we go.

That… went better than expected. White Boss took it and asked me to figure out what that means for the firm. Chinese Boss seemed like she was about to cry a little and looked that she was going to make me a counter-offer before White Boss waived her down. But… it is official now. I have resigned and given 6 weeks notice. No more baited breath. No more what if anxiety.

Now all that remains? Is the type of “post show” panic I would feel as an actor. That sensation that, “You’ve done what you’ve done. You can’t fix it, change it, or do anything else. Now you have to deal with whatever fallout exists. Panic.”