I’ve worked at the local county prosecutor’s office for the past 3 ½ years, and have noticed that many of the people there aren’t terribly fond of me. Not that we have any great ideological differences (although certainly we do have some!). I have nothing against punishing people who commit crimes, within reason, of course; we all commit technical crimes, but very few of us rape, murder, steal, distribute illicit drugs, defraud the government for big $$$, etc. It’s just that a lot of the assistant prosecutors (i.e., trial attorneys) and investigators (i.e., cops) get hardened from dealing with criminals all the time. Or alternately, they’re fairly tough, aggressive people from the start, the kind who are attracted to this kind of work. People like that have little use for an intellectual daisy-picker like me.

Case in point: the boss Prosecutor was officially sworn in the other day, so they had a little party for her afterward. I generally don’t do well at parties. At parties full of lawyers and cops, I only do that much worse. I wasn’t exactly in demand for chit-chat. I mostly drifted about on my own, and cut out by 6:30PM.

It’s a miracle, then, that anyone other than my peers in the administration section talk to me at all (other than necessary business). But believe it or not, there are some friendly assistant prosecutors and investigators. They manage to give me a hello and maybe even a good word or two, even after dealing with some of the most dangerous, violent and anti-social people out there. Or they at least manage a nod and a polite attitude toward me, the office’s lowly grants coordinator. For example, as I was leaving the office party the other evening, one of the supervisory attorneys (who was also leaving) gave me a smile and made a little joke about my leaving early, and then about her own early departure.

Unto those AP’s and detectives who yet share the milk of human kindness, you will be at my side when I enter my kingdom. But woe unto those who have dissed me, including my boss (another supervisory assistant prosecutor) . . . . . NOT. I hold no hard feelings against the tough crowd. I understand that it’s a nasty job and that folk like you need to stay within your own world of strength. I knew that the job was going to be a lonely one for me when I took it. I take no offense at your disdain for my introverted, nebbishy character. It’s just that when I find any un-forced friendliness whatsoever amidst the warrior brethren, I consider that to be cause for a smile. Maybe even reason, however small, for the restoration of faith in the human race, despite its often pitiful condition these days.