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i stared him straight in the eye. i knew he was coming into this with guns blazing, after all, he had days, weeks even, to trump up his problem in his head. he wants to come in and be the boss, he wants to show us all how we’re idiots, how we know nothing. that’s the trick though; he knows nothing, that’s why he’s got his hackles raised. he comes in with all these ideas and then once he’s here, i get to tell him the truth. i get to show him what’s really going on. that’s how it works, you just sit them down and say, “here’s what happening.” you don’t fight fire with fire, unless they get really testy, but 90% of the time they never do. occasionally you’ll get a woman who’s just had it, she’s had it and she wants to know what’s going on, she’s shouting in your office and you know she’s mad. most of the time even then i’ll just say, “you still have to give us documents.” just with a calm voice, just like that. if they still don’t get it, that’s when i lay into ’em. “i know it seems like most of the time places do this work for you, but not this time. this time you have to bring us your hardship, we’re not mind readers. we need evidence.” some people get it, some people don’t. but i’ve never been mad at them. how would they know? law is fucking hard, it’s convoluted and people spend their lives deciphering it for the laymen out there. not knowing what you’re getting into can be kind of scary. but i’m just saying, i don’t fall for that shit. you stare me in the eye and i stare right back. i’m like that abyss nietzsche always talked about. you don’t mess with me at the office.