I love Mack Town. I love the fact that when I walk into Blake's Books, the woman behind the counter knows who I am and what I read. I love the fact that when I go to Niveen's or the Chalet--or even Denny's--the servers recognize me. And hide. I like to go into the Rite Aide and buy some batteries and have a long discussion with the woman running the register because she recognizes me from Church, where my 14 year old son and I play every Sunday morning.
I was going to leave. I had resigned from the County as the supervising attorney for the Alternate Defender (indigent defense) because I was being told I was "too aggressive" for that office. A lawyer too aggressive? Isn't that like telling a running back he shouldn't run so fast?
Anyway, I interviewed all over California, from Riverside and Fresno to Shasta county right over the mountain. Some of those folks were interested in me. Very much so. I talked to a lot of District Attorneys and Public Defenders--the people who actually were in charge of the office.
But my heart kept coming back to Mack Town.
Why? Can't tell you exactly. I know that when I lived here in the 80s and went to Humboldt State as a journalism major, McKinleyville was a wide spot in the road. Horses really did have the right of way, in that there weren't many cars. "Kentucky by the sea," they called it. I was never so unkind; in fact, I don't think I ever set foot in town while I was a student and KRED DJ, though I did have some fans up here from my radio work.
When I moved back up here in 2006, I fell in love with this town. After living an eternity in Orange County, I found that the clear air and friendly people were to my liking. I love my little yellow house with the creek running out back. I love playing at Christ the King on McKinleyville Ave on Sunday morning because the people are so darned appreciative. I really like just hanging at Ramone's on a weekday morning before going to the office and having my cornmeal scone and watching the people come in and out.
What surprised me was that there were no lawyers in town who did family law or criminal law. There's a guy named Garlick who does probate and trusts, and more power to the man. But no one who did what is euphemistically called, "family practice."
Now, my classmates from Boalt Hall (UC Berkeley) would likely look down their noses at me for running my own office. They went to work for big corporations or big government offices etc. Some of them are judges now.
Me, I did too. Worked for a mid-sized law firm in LA, a firm which is now extinct. I worked for a very good Public Defender's Office in Orange County, one of the best in the country. I learned a lot from them. They're a great crew.
But my heart is now in Mack Town. My son wants to live in Humboldt because he's having a great time as a musician. I, too, love this county, for all its faults, for all its remoteness. I can't leave.
But I gotta make a living, friends and neighbors. So I'm here near the airport in my nice lawyer's office and I'm hoping that if you have a legal problem, you'll give me a call. Even if you don't, if you see me on the street, give me a wave and a hello and maybe some unsolicited advice about the specials at Niveen's.
