What Do You Give an Attorney for Christmas?

Always a problem, for 32 long years. Here's my favorite story about that dilemma. I was working for Shawn, a young associate, one other associate and a partner. A man and two women -- couldn't even just buy three of the same. Two of them I loved and, well, we won’t get into the third, which complicated things even further. What to do? It had been a year of never-ending international crises and need and I decided to do what I thought was best. No worries about size or color or personal taste; I made a contribution to Mennonite Central Committee and received three gift cards, describing the MCC projects to which my money had been contributed. I made three pretty little seasonal bouquets and propped the cards up against the vases. Shawn came to my desk, smiling, and said, “Debra, I absolutely loved your gift, what a wonderful thing to do! But how did you know?” “How did I know what?” I asked. “Well,” said Shawn, “my card was about a project in Guatemala. I spent the first 11 years of my life in Guatemala because my parents were missionaries.” Chills went down my spine as I explained I didn’t know. Then, I had to ask – what denomination? “Church of God,” replied Shawn. All my evangelical neurons pricked up as I laughed and said, “Church of God? Boy, I bet you went to tent meetings, didn’t you?” Shawn laughed as he nodded his head, asking me to keep this little tidbit to myself. “You know every single lawyer in Chicago is either Catholic or Jewish and they just don’t get evangelicals!” We laughed some more as I promised, but remembering the terror George Brunk instilled in my childhood bones, I had to ask, “Yeah, but weren’t some of those sermons scarier than any horror movie you’ve ever seen?” “Well,” drawled Shawn, “they weren’t really so bad when it was your dad preaching!” From that day forward, we were best of friends and have stayed in touch, even though we’re now many miles apart. It was an amazing experience to work for someone who understood the most basic underpinnings of my reactions, attitudes, and opinions. Merry Christmas, Shawn, Lena and Vincent!