Bounced

Who's the poor sucker who got bounced?

On Monday, I sent an email to a partner at a major law firm, let's call him Joe, asking whether there were four tickets available in the firm's skybox for Sunday's Ranger's game. "Judah", our former foster son, is coming for a visit and I thought he would enjoy going. Besides, OYD has also been asking to go to game.

I've known Joe for over 11 years. Besides being a brilliant litigator, he is, without question, the best client coverage guy I've ever met in 24 years of in-house practice. He treats me like a major client even though I've never really been one (ironically, even though my legal budget is currently smaller than at any previous job, because of the exposure I offer firms, I'm a more important client than I've ever been). He ALWAYS gets back to me within a day, even if it is just to say that he is jammed up and will revert as soon as he is free. And, to top it off, he is a very decent guy.

Joe quickly e-mailed back that there were only two seats still available and they were mine if I wanted them.

I e-mailed back that I couldn't use the two because OYD would feel bad if I took Judah and not her. I thanked him, apologized for asking so late (I just found out that Judah was coming this Sunday) and said that I would get back to him about another game sometime down the line.

Ten minutes later I get the following email:

"Just got four tix, do you want them for Sunday? (I feel like I'm bidding against myself)"

I emailed back:

"I would love them. Who did you bounce to get me the seats?"

He wrote back, "Don't worry about it. You're a good guy and it's our pleasure."

The "good guy" reference was, of course, to the fact that I was planning to take Judah, whom he knows about. Joe, who is a very senior and powerful lawyer at the firm, obviously asked for the list of who had been allocated seats in the box and probably bounced an associate (or even a partner) who was probably not taking a client.

I feel bad, but not too bad.