Personal Opinions: The Differences Between Physical "Sobriety" and Mental "Sobriety" and a Shift in Consciousness around Life Changes, Shifts, Modes and Getting to the Core of One's Soul and Purpose. -Lu'na Just this week I finished reading John Grisham's "The Litigator's. After a long period of sobriety, one of the partners of the small firm, went on a binder apparently from all of the stress that he was experiencing due to a very stressful trial that he brought to federal court, that he was losing. He had never presented a case in federal court and to his dismay, his initial thoughts of a slam dunk settlement and millions in legal fees was falling to pieces. Part I Here is an excerpt of the ultimate hero of the story David Zinc, who sticks by Wally, who is has briefly seaped back into the depths of his depresssion and then a heavy alcohol binge before David gets him back into rehab. pg. 302 (paperback)"When he (David) turned onto Preston, he noticed the lights were on at Finley & Figg. It was 5:45am, and Wally hard at work. Good, thought David, maybe the junior partner had discovered some new theory they could spring on Nadine Karros and Harry Seawright and reduce some of the humilitation. But Wally's car was not parked behind. The rear door was unlocked, as was the front. Ac(the firm dog)was prowling around the first floor, agitated. Wally was not in his office; he was not to be found. David locked the doors and went to his office upstairs, followed by AC. There were no messages on his desk, no e-mails. He called Wally's cell and got voicemail. Strange, but then Wally's routine often varied. However, neither he nor Oscar had ever left the office unlocked and lights on. David tried to review some materials but could'nt concentrate. His nerves were edgy because of the trial, and now there was a nagging sense that something else was wrong. He walked downstairs and had a quick look around Wally's office. The wastebasket next to his credenza was empty. David hated to do it, but he pulled open a few drawers and found nothing of interest. In the kitchen, next to narrow fridge, there was a tall round wastebasket where the coffee grounds were dumped along with food containers and empty bottles and cans. David removed the white plastic liner, opened it wide, and found what he was afraid that he might find. To one side, lying on top of a yogurt container, was an empty pint of smirnoff vodka. David removed it, rinsed it in the sink while he washed his hands, and took it upstairs, where he sat it on his desk and stared at it for a long time. Wally had a few beers during lunch, then spent part of the night at the office, drinking vodka, and at some point decided to leave. Evidently he was drunk, because he left the lights on and the doors unlocked. They had agreed to meet at 7:00am for coffee and a work session. By 7:15, David was worried. He called Rochelle and asked if she had heard from Wally. "No, is something wrong?" she asked, as if a bad phone call about Wally was never unexpected.

"No just looking around for him, that's all. You'll be in at eight, right? I'm leaving the apartment now. I'll run by and check on Oscar then come to the office." David wanted to call Oscar but could not bring himself to do so. His triple bypass had been six days earlier. and David was not about to upset him. He paced the floor, fed AC, and tried Wally's cell phone again. Nothing. Rochelle arrived promptly at eight with the news that Oscar was doing okay and had not seen Wally. "He did'nt come home last night", she said. David pulled out the empty pint bottle out of his back pants pocket and said, " I found this in the kitchen wastebasket. Wally got drunk last night, here, and left the doors unlocked and the lights on when he left." Rochelle stared at the bottle and wanted to cry. She had nursed Wally through his previous battles and she had cheered him on through his rehabs. She had held his hands and prayed for him, cried for him, and celebrated with him sa he joyfully counted the days of sobriety. One year, two weeks and two days, and now they are looking at an empty bottle. " I guess the pressure got to him", David said. "When he falls, he falls hard David, and each one is worst then the last." David set the bottle on the table, "But he was so proud of being sover", he said. " I can't believe this." What he really could'nt believe was that the dream team (or the three stooges) was down to its last man standing. And though his partners were woefully lacking in trial experience, they were seasoned veterans compared with him. "You think he'll show up in court?' David asked. no, she did not, but Rochelle did'nt have the heart to be blunt. "Probably so. You need to get on the road." To Continue!