Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Solitude, 1883
Homedy was Roger's favorite pastime through college and law school. He loved the classic comedians - Milton Berle, Jackie ? Gleason, Jimmy Durante, George Burns, Steve Allen. They had style, something modern comics lacked. Roger even did his own little stand-up routines on "open-mike" nights at the new comedy clubs spring ing up.
But he never let comedy interfere with schoolwork. Excellent grades at a famous Eastern law school won him an interview with a large, well known Philadelphia law firm.
It was certainly an "old money," Main Line firm. The office decor was rich, traditional... and dark. Everything was dark - dark wood paneling, dark leather chairs, dark carpeting, dark draperies, dark paintings on the walls. Dark. And depressing!
It was also quiet as a library. Nobody spoke above a whisper and the telephones rang with a single muted ding. It was geriatric, each partner he talked with older than the last. And it was warm, extremely warm. Old people always seem to like it warm, he thought.
The darkness, quiet and warmth combined to make Roger feel there was a serious chance he'd fall asleep every time he sank into one of the soft leather chairs in a partner's office. He accepted coffee every time it was offered.
Finally, in late afternoon, Roger was ushered in to meet the senior partner himself. Three other partners accompanied him into the very large office. The head of the firm, a grandfatherly type, puffed contentedly on a pipe, tobacco smoke pungent in the air.
After introductions, Roger was directed to "the client's chair" directly in front of the old man's massive desk. The others melted silently away to the edges of the room.
The senior partner leaned forward and asked, "Well, Roger, what's your impression of the firm?"
That was a straight-line from Heaven!
All day, Roger had been trying to sort out his mixed feelings about the firm, and this did it. The lawyer in him cringed, the comedian exulted. He stood up, slowly scanning the entire room, and in his best stand- up voice intoned...
"What's my impression? Whats my impression? Why...I don't DO impressions. But thank you, thank you, thank you. You've been a wonderful audience." With a long sweep of the arm, he bowed low to the flab senior partner, turned and swept out of the office and the firm.
At least now I know what I'm cut out for, he chuckled on the way home.
Today Roger represents a European toy company and lives a decidedly upscale life in London and Belgium.
Doing what you do well is good; doing well what you love is what life is all about.
