Don't let anyone say it isn't a very small world.

[traceb]

My friend and I went to lunch today at a very small familly owned greek restaurant/food store. One of those small places where the tables are very close together and the person sitting right behind you can, if they choose to, easily overhear your conversation.

We were discussing the current cert., the hiring process and the different viewpoints expressed over the political nature which have been espoused on this board. My friend mentioned a friend of his who graduated from law school at the same time he did, became a partner in a well respected law firm and was himself well respected and is now an ALJ.

I have tried a few cases before this Judge, but not in a long time. Highly competent, fair, very knowledgeable and well respected. My friend mentioned him by name several times and at one point the man sitting at the next table with his back to us turned and looked. I thought he looked familiar when I walked in but couldn't place him. It was not until he responded to his name that I realized, it was the Judge.

This is by no means a small town. Out of all the places to eat, during all the hours of the day, on any given day of the week, with all the conversations to have in all the different places to sit at this particular restaurant . . . . What are the odds.

[knownuthin]

Try this one. A few months ago, I had a case on my docket for a fellow who has a fairly common name. The name brought back memories of a client I defended 22 years ago in a courts-martial when I was an Air Force defense counsel. The reason I remember the client was because his case was very unusual. I won't go into details. Looking at the file, I noted that the claimant had been in the Air Force, but the dates mentioned in a psychological evaluation did not match up to my guy. At the hearing I asked about his service, and whether he had been court-martialed during the late 80s in Louisiana. Well you would have thought it was a family reunion. His face lit up and he said "I thought I recognized you. How have you been." I said fine and recused myself.