A few weeks ago, I took a public hearing for a county I'd never worked for before.

It started at the eminently reasonable hour of 5:30 p.m.

They had the room set up in a way that was incredibly thoughtful and convenient for the court reporter.

The council members were pleasant, intelligent, courteous people.

The attorney for the petitioner was equally pleasant, intelligent and courteous.

So what was the problem?

The attorney for the respondents.  He was as old as the hills.  He was deaf as a post.  He spoke through a mouthful of ill-fitting dentures.  He interrupted witnesses.  He interrupted the other attorney.  He interrupted the council members.  If I had to ask him to stop, or to repeat himself, he glared at me with a particularly virulent old-man glare, as though it were my fault.  His examinations were useless and redundant and long, long, long-winded.  We didn't get out of there until after 11:00, and it was entirely his fault.  And did I mention he used very bad grammar?

He single-handedly made this otherwise perfect job miserable.

I've been putting off doing the transcription for a couple of weeks now.  Yesterday, I finally bit the bullet and got to work.  Tomorrow, by 2:00 p.m. deadline (touch wood) it will be out of my house and out of my life.

Let the celebrating commence!