National Be Kind to Lawyers Day

I decided that this day needed to be included in my blogging.   Until I went into the early childcare field, most of my business career had been centered around working for attorneys - mostly in the criminal field.

My first time working for attorneys was when I moved to Atlanta in 1977  I went to work for Wells Fargo/Pony Express in their legal department.  Dad used to kid with me about my job asking if I was the one who fed the horses.  Just shortly before I got married, I quit that job (don't remember why) and went to work for Honeywell Corporation in their legal department.  I stayed with that corporation until I married and Les and I moved to south Georgia.

I then went to work for Perry & Perry, P.C. which was run by David and Diane Perry who were married at that time.  I stayed there from 1980 until 1982 when Corey was born.  This was my favorite law firm.  They were both members of the church.  In fact, David became the bishop while I worked for them. 

Diane and I used to spend a lot of time together.  We really liked to go hiking up in the mountains around Pine Mountain near Columbus, Georgia.  We'd take along our dogs and spend the majority of the day away from the house.  Les had a part-time job many times on the weekend or had to work, so that left lots of spare time for me.

Me and my little dog, Pepper.

Diane and her dog who had his own backpack.

I officially "retired" from working with attorneys after the birth of Corey.  I stayed home with him for his first years, but did occasional freelance work with other attorneys in town to make a little money and get me out of the house.

When he was three years old, I decided it was time to go back to work.  I missed working - both financially and socially and being an only child, Corey was in need of some social interaction too from sources other than his own cousins.  They let him get away with things and he was in need of learning how to play with other children.  So, I set out to find another job, which I did in Ocilla, Georgia with another attorney...Emory Walters - a very prominent attorney.  I was going to be his personal secretary and he would ultimately change my life. 

During my initial interview with Emory, as I was sitting across from his giant oak desk, one of the things I told him was that I did not take dictation.  He said that was no problem.  However, my first day he called me into his office to take dictation.  I managed to survive that heart palpating experience, but the moment I got back into town I went and bought me a hand help tape recorder.  Then, every time he called me into his office, I took the recorder with me, laid it on his desk and therefore, I was able to get every word he said.   And, every time he would buzz my desk intercom, I would turn on the recorder.  I did that after I had made the mistake of asking him to repeat what he wanted me to do.  His response was "I don't have *$*%($$ time to *#@*#& tell you *#*$%&@". 

Emory was a very hard man to work for.  I was ready to quit a couple of weeks after starting, but didn't because I was too intimidated and afraid to tell him so.  However, when it got to the point that I was waking up with a severe headache or diarrhea most every day, I finally decided it was time to leave.  He was very gracious and I vowed at that time that I didn't care if I ever worked for another attorney and I haven't.