A Tale of Redemption

You may have wondered why I have never posted about what job PF would be doing after law school.

That's because he didn't have one. Until today.

Last summer, PF worked for a Vault 15 New York firm. They were nice. But it sucked. You've heard about this before. The hours were long and the work of no interest to him. So in August, they made him a permanent offer, and he turned it down. Now, maybe other people do this - turn down the firm and don't try to get hired at a different one. But he's the only one I knew. We entered the school year with him looking for a post-grad job in Boston.

We ended the year like that, too. Earlier this year we had an absolutely heartbreak of an experience with the public defender's office. Then life intervened - papers, finals, graduation, moving, bar study - and while PF kept looking for a job, things weren't going well. There were tears on both sides. Worries about money. I might have yelled at some point. I don't write a lot about my personal hard times because it doesn't seem right to spill them on the net when I wouldn't talk about them in person. But I had a lot of not-so-fine hours. We had a lot of hugs and love, too. But it was hard. Because none of PF's Chicago friends were going through this. It's not supposed to be possible, graduating from a top tier law school without a job. Besides AR and Mikey, whose love we couldn't have done without, it was like we were living alone on a planet that no one understood.

Last month, trying hard to be supportive and not weepy and horrible, I said, "Maybe you should look into non-law jobs. Like politics?" PF gives me more credit for this than I deserve; that's all I said. The next day he had started looking for Republicans in the state legislature. The next week he sent out a stack of letters. And then we got a phone call.

The end of the story is this: PF is now the legislative director for a state senator. The senator is a smart, moderate guy with a law degree who PF loves. PF will research policy and draft bills that will become laws and all manner of amazing things. It is a 100% perfect, fantastic job for him, something that he is exactly qualified for, and he will be happy every day and we will pay our rent. It's a fraction of what the firm would have paid, of course. I do not give a shit.

He came to see me for lunch after they told him, still wearing his suit. I cried a little bit. Because he made a scary, scary decision, and then I made him move to a state where he had no connections, and after it all, he ended up getting paid to do what he loves. The universe came through for us. He came through. I'm so proud of the man I married.

Comments

[tommy lawyer]

Sounds like a perfect fit. Congratulations to both of you. :o)

[Alan]

Well he did have the one connection that mattered most.

Congrats to PF!

[AR and Mikey]

Congratulations! He's a lucky state senator!

[LM]

yay! i don't know PF (or you, even!), but i am happy for the both of you, nonetheless. :D congrats!

[Tia Rita]

The universe came through for you and you guided it. Congratulations to Dan. As for the public defender's office I say,"Pearls before the swine!" Check the bible. Glad to hear Dan is working for a moderate, otherwise I would have to send him mandarin oranges. I have known some great Reps. Good for the two of you.

[Thomas]

Aww, that's a great story! Good for Dan! :-)

Republican???? Seriously?

[Patty]

That's wonderful! For what it's worth, I'm really impressed by both of you -- him for making a decision to turn down the big bucks and you for supporting him even though it is hard and scary.

[Andrea]

Thanks everyone! Your support means a lot.

To anonymous - yes, a moderate, pro-free trade, socially liberal Bill Richardson Democrat married a moderate, pro-free trade, socially liberal Rudy Giuliani Republican who feels so strongly about gay rights we got married in MA because of their egalitarian marriage law. Shocking! :-P

[LM]

re: rita's post, i'm just curious: why mandarin oranges?

and also, it's great that dan was able to find work with someone whose views are in synch with his own (and vice versa). :)

[shea]

That's great!

It feels so good when life works out and all your hard work pays off. There's no better feeling in the world. :)

[Brendan]

Awesome- Yeah Dan and Dre!

[susan saenz]

YES, YES, YES!! I'm glad the pressure's off and you guys can pay the rent AND he's doing what he really want s to do! Mandarin oranges?

[Andrea]

Apparently no one remembers the time Tia made a fancy salad with oranges in it and Dan kind of balked before giving it a try. Just some family teasing.

Thanks again for the fresh round of support.

[Erin]

Hey Andrea,
I've only posted a few times, but I love your blog both for the great writing and the constant support for public interest people. It was interesting to read your story about your husband because my husband and I just went through a very similar thing. He worked in a corporate law firm last summer and decided that he didn't like it and also that he was going to stick with me in North Carolina, which was a wonderful, romantic decision, but also a financailly scary decision when you've got looming student loans. He also graduated (from Duke) with no job and we spent the summer hoping and praying while I worked at an unpaid internship, he worked on his novel, and our money dwindled away. Two weeks ago, he got a job at a small law firm in NC - just what he was hoping for and just in the nick of time. Hurray for things working out! I'm happy for you guys, and we're having a similar celebration down South :).

[Andrea]

Wow, that IS the same story. Thanks for letting me know, it makes me feel really good. Congrats Erin and husband!

[FPF]

Maybe it's a measure of the man how so many people say they are proud of him, and happy for his good fortune.

[AR]

Erin, my congrats to K as well. :)