Monday, March 14, 2011

The Paralegal Ghetto

I once worked for a major law firm. Just having arrived in a new city, I was grateful to land this job, basic as it was. I did the grunt work for the paralegals with one other “grunt-worker” in an area we dubbed “The Paralegal Ghetto”.

To survive the boring mindless labor of poring over endless documents, I laughed. In fact I laughed and laughed and laughed.

My laughing cellmate was another intelligent woman caught in one of life’s interludes that lands you in an intelligently ludicrous situation; i.e. she was massively bored also. Often all it took was one look at each other, to set us off.

Myself I could get into a dangerous roll and not be able to stop. I tried headphones (ions before ipods) but it seems I would be humming under my breath, which would send us again into endless streams of laughter.

I now know the value of laughter at work. Back then I had those judgmental thoughts running through my head: “I’m going to get into trouble for laughing.” “I’m not supposed to laugh at work.” “It’s unproductive.” Now I lecture that just the opposite is true. For I did get my work done and there wasn’t any other way I could have survived it.

More than that, we played an important role in this somewhat stuffy law firm. There were those who knew that they could come to the paralegal ghetto and get some good laughs. After a substantial “laughter break”, they returned to work refreshed, energized, minds more alert.

Like recess for kids, it was a much-needed break from the intense seriousness of prolonged concentration.

Our paralegal ghetto was never officially recognized for the role we played in providing comic relief, yet I knew this was ultimately why I was there.

Photo: Stock.xchnge

No comments: