by Ryan McKeen
It’s said that pain is weakness leaving the body. If that’s the case, Mark was one of the strongest people that I’ve ever met.
On Tuesday, I got a call from a woman, asking me if “I had heard”. Conversations that begin like that usually don’t end well. This was no exception.
The woman informed me that my client had died. She was a close friend of his. I expressed my condolences, asked some questions, and scribbled a few notes.
When the conversation ended, I sat at my desk stunned.
People come into your life in all sorts of ways. My client, Mark was a walk in client. One of the benefits of having a bus stop outside the office is that sometimes people just drop in.
Mark came into my life unexpectedly one winter morning. Mark left my life unexpectedly one winter morning.
Mark and I talked about his case. He told me that he wanted to hire me because “I didn’t have a TV commercial and my face wasn’t on a bus”. I instantly liked Mark.
The year that followed was awful for Mark. He suffered about every indignity a man could suffer. Then he died.
After the initial shock, I got up from my chair, and walked over to my assistant, Ruth’s desk. I told her that Mark had died and I started tearing up.
Once we won the case, Mark was going to buy my assistant, Ruth a large fruit basket. He asked me where he could get a real nice one. He appreciated all she did for him.
At some point last year, Mark asked me what my favorite restaurant was. I told him. He told me that once he won his case he was going to take me out to dinner.
Mark faced significant challenges during the year I knew him. His pain was so great that I can’t put it into words. I can’t even imagine it.
Since learning of his death, I haven’t been able to put down his file. I look through my notes and his records – searching for something. I called his cell phone. It was disconnected.
Lawyers take on the most significant problems that others face. Every file in on my desk represents someone’s problem. The problem is that lawyers aren’t wizards. We can’t fix every problem.
Mark knew this. He knew this when he called me after suffering something horrible. He understood that I couldn’t make all of his problems go away. All I could do is what I did – listen. For a number of reasons, Mark’s world had shrunk in the past year.
Mark did more than accept my limitations – he believed in me.
And I believed that some day there would be a fruit basket for Ruth.
There will be no funeral service for Mark. I spoke with his doctor earlier today. She was also distraught. We talked about a memorial service for Mark. She informed me that she was going to have lunch with Mark’s friend to celebrate his life. She asked me if I wanted to join them. I accepted the invitation. We’re three strangers. Our only common bond is that we witnessed Mark fight for his dignity over the past year.
Mark and I will never have that dinner. I accept that. I have no choice in the matter.
When I spoke with his doctor I never told her about Mark’s plan to take me out to dinner.
As our conversation was coming to a close she told me that Mark will be with us at our lunch. I couldn’t help but smile. And cry.