The More Things Change ...

Turkey is so much better at this firm.  He's so much more appropriate in his dealings with employees. He's on time more than 50% of the time. He loses things much less often, and when he does lose them, they're often easily found. It's amazing to see how far he's come. But then there are those other times when he does something to make it clear that calling him a turkey really IS the right nickname for him here.

A few months ago, all the attorneys had to do sexual harassment training. One of the HR people and I talked about it, and I asked her if whoever was giving the presentation could tell all the attorneys that a gay attorney CAN in fact be sexually harassing a straight employee, and their gayness does not automatically exempt them from saying inappropriate things. Because Turkey does.

On Friday afternoon, Turkey and I were trying to fill out the form needed to get a new client up and running. He'd told me to write one thing, and then told me to write something else. I confirmed he wanted to change that line. "A girl can change her mind, right?" Now, I know this is a gay guy thing to do - to refer to himself as a woman, and I know Turkey is gay, but he'd never done this particular thing before. Clearly, Turkey was feeling a little extra saucy Friday afternoon.

We got a famous client, and I think he was a little giddy over that. (The guy isn't super famous - he's more the sibling of someone famous who you probably never think of. It's not very exciting. So far, he seems very normal.) Turkey even had asked me if I really thought we should charge him a retainer. I voted absolutely. Turkey was worried it would be considered insulting. I argued that we charge everyone a retainer unless we have a prior relationship with them, and famous people, unless they're raging egomaniacs, want to be treated just like everyone else is treated. He agreed with me. I give good legal advice to lawyers.

At the very end of the day on Friday, I was finishing up some work while Turkey was leaning on my counter talking to me. Apropos of nothing, he asked me if the gay guy who sits next to me is gay. Half of me was shocked to be asked that, and half of me was not at all surprised Turkey would ask such an inappropriate question. I shrugged. He then asked me if a cute, straight paralegal was gay. I shrugged again.

I adamantly believe that you do NOT expose someone's sexuality. Maybe it's because I'm Jewish - a minority that has been persecuted - but I'd like to think even if I weren't, it would not be my place to share anything about a person that has gotten others like them killed for sharing that information.

There are many days, often in a row, where I have a lovely workday. I must never let myself get lulled into a false sense of security. I must never, never forget that Turkey will be inappropriate at some point.