When I was 12 years old, I broke my hand and knocked my front teeth out in a bicycle wreck at the foot of the hill near our home. The gas company cut a trench across the street and left it open for longer than necessary without adequately patching the asphalt. My front bicycle tire hit it just right to send me flying over the handlebars.
After several months of mom’s argument with the gas company, they accepted liability and awarded a small settlement to be placed in a trust for my future. As it turned out it was a good thing, as my front teeth eventually suffered greatly from the trauma. When my mom and I were asked to come to court to receive the monetary settlement, the judge had a chat with me regarding my future aspirations. I never hesitated when I told him, “I want to be an attorney.” He was a bit amused but further queried me, “Why do you want to be an attorney?” My response? “Because I’ve watched every episode of Night Court!”
I was only 12 and not trying to be disrespectful to the judge, just truthful. I’d always known what I wanted to be and do—at least starting at about age 6 or 7. I think it began with a documentary I saw on TV about puppy mills. I was so distraught about the inhumane treatment of the animals that I lost sleep for weeks and cried about it endlessly. I felt, without knowing how to identify it, the sense of advocacy within me—even at that young age. The injustice meted out on those puppies still affects me today.
So, Judge Harry Stone and Judge Steve Daniel: I wasn’t kidding. I did it. Thanks for the parts you played in my journey.
#advocacy #puppymills #attorney #nightcourt
