Photograph this!

Ever see four attorneys in the same room at the same time working toward a common goal and enjoying the process? Yeah, me neither..., but in this situation it really happened.

We're being photographed for the upcoming phone book ad, trying to exude a look of professionalism and confidence, in our dark wool gabardine suits with white shirts, the men wearing ties and myself in nylons.

***tangent*** What IS it with hosiery? Why in the name of all that's holy has society determined that friggin' tights are an appropriate thing for fully adult women to wear with business suits?! They itch; they sag; they run; they make you sweat; they make your legs look shiny and sound swishy; there's just not a good thing to be said about them. Fish nets? OK, that's something else altogether...but basic nylons? What?!? If you want to see people in tights, go to the ballet!! ***end tangent***

The photographer decides that we're not nearly close enough together in that 85-degree portrait studio, and positions us so that we're literally linked arms around each other's waists, heads inclined ever so slightly toward the center. And as we're fidgeting in place, Scott says, "Chachi, stop it." The room held its breath.

See, "Chachi" isn't his name. It's John. He's our newest associate. He's 14 years younger than the rest of us. The photographer had asked him to stand on a "booster step" -- right behind Scott.

As the sweat made its way ever so creepingly down the fronts of our shirts and the backs of our knees, John started laughing so hard that the entire group shook. We laughed till the tears outran the sweat; the one-liners flew fast and furious until all traces of professionalism had fled the building. As if of one mind, we all purposed to thwart the poor photographer from ever capturing us in a pose even vaguely resembling a group of intelligent advocates. God, it was fun!!