Posted on
April 7, 2013 in
Last week I was in trial (my first bench trial in federal court; we came in second).
I was also excited to be scheduled to speak to Professor Ray Moses’s “Opening and Closing” class at South Texas College of Law. I’ve spoken to the class the last couple of years, and it has always been stimulating and fun. I’d had it on my calendar for two months.
As Thursday evening approached, I was at the office figuring out what to talk about and how, when I received an email from Professor Moses: My students are sorry you missed the class last night. Have a nice life.
I screwed up. There’s no excuse. I hope Professor Moses’s students—who are assigned this blog as part of their required reading—will forgive me.
Oh no!
yeah, well, trial can mess up our recollection of the rest of life’s schedule. sorry for the coming in second. never fun.
Oh no is right! That’s so un-you, but it happens. Darn. I hate when that happens.
Sure, trial tends to occupy one’s thoughts, but you don’t forget something like that. You don’t forget it because there is a classroom full of students expecting the Texas Tornado to show up and enlighten them. You don’t forget it because, well, you don’t forsake responsibilities.
While it’s true that stercus accidit, this isn’t the sort of thing one forgets. Like your wife’s birthday or your clients’ names, there are things that can’t be forgotten. Showing up to speak to a law school class is one of those things.
It’s good that you make no excuses and take responsibility for your mistake, because you are a responsible guy and this just doesn’t happen.
You are correct.
So, what I’m hearing is that Professor Moses is probably in the market for a new blogging/criminal defense attorney/guest lecturer . . . .
Ouch.
When I have a guest speaker coming to my class, I always confirm with him/her a couple of days before. I wonder if Professor Moses did this. Either way, “Have a nice life” seems a bit much.
He did. Via email and telephone. But I had it on my calendar and in my brain that it was Thursday, and apparently nothing could dissuade me.
“Have a nice life” may have been a bit of a paraphrase.