September
The year was 1966. I was 9 years old and had just started the fourth grade at St. Mark’s grade school in Peoria. When my mom questioned me about what school supplies I needed, I asked her to buy me a mechanical pencil (refillable lead pencil). I had asked for a mechanical pencil in the past, but was told that I didn’t need one. When my mom returned from the store, she surprised me with a new mechanical pencil.
When I was growing up in the 1960’s, it was a common practice to give a young boy or girl a piggy bank as a birthday present. Parents routinely gave piggy banks to their children and then repeatedly reminded them to “put your money in your bank.” Ask any boy or girl today what a piggy bank is and the only response you’ll get will most likely be a blank stare. Of course, they would be able to give you a detailed description of Lady Gaga and tell you what an iPad is, but they wouldn’t have a clue as to what a piggy bank is.
In the movie Back To The Future Part II, the main character, Marty McFly, travels 30 years into the future with scientist, Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown. The movie starts with Doc returning from the year 2015 to 1985 and notifying Marty (who at that time is 17 years old and in high school) that they have to go “back to the future” to help Marty’s (future) son.
When I started my law practice, I followed the advice that was given in the book, How To Open Up Your Own Law Practice Without Missing A Meal. The book recommended that I walk into other lawyers’ offices (without an appointment) and ask the lawyers if they had an extra office that was available for rent. If there was an office available, the book instructed that I then ask if I could trade my research and writing skills for rent. The book further advised that for those lawyers who did not have an office to rent, I was to ask them: (1) if they had any research and writing work for me to do for an agreed-upon hourly rate, and (2) if they would be willing to refer clients to me that they didn’t want.