Monday I spent the entire day at a mediation in Springfield. I worked the entire day and never even got close to the office. Monday, the way it ought to be.
My only regret, of which I became aware on Tuesday morning when I arrived at work, was that I missed Jose's triumphant return to work. For the past several years, he has run what we identify as our Office Services Department, which is comprised of the men and women who (a) deal with the various vendors; (b) perform/coordinate large-scale projects for the Firm's several departments; and (c) coddle and stroke the egos of the seventy-five-plus attorneys and support staff, each of whom believes that whatever is needed for their project at a particular time is the most important thing going on in the whole Firm at that moment and should be treated accordingly. Simply put, Jose performs a job that I could not.
Shortly before Christmas, he underwent major surgery to repair his shoulder. He had not been medically cleared to return to work until Monday. Perhaps the best indication of both how well-liked he is and how acutely-missed he was by everyone was the evidence of the "Welcome Back" celebration that I found Tuesday morning in the 3rd floor kitchen. Practically every wall was adorned by a banner or a sign welcoming him back to work.
Apropos of nothing, Jose is a fellow true-blue Yankees fan so while he was not around to discuss Hot Stove stuff and whether the Houston Astros should be required to play every game this season with Red-Hot sprayed into their cups to punish their shameless cheating ways, he is back in time for Opening Day. The past few seasons, it has become something of a daily ritual, our discussion of the Yankees and - when appropriate - our lamentation over what fresh hell has befallen them. He is, without exception, my favorite person at the Firm with whom to talk baseball. I am happy he has returned in time for us to do so.
Truth be told, I am simply happy he is back. He is a good man who makes the day-to-day at the Firm a better place because of who he is as much as because of what he does. That says more than you probably realize because what he does is considerable.
Welcome back, Jose.
- Epstein's Mother
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