Though I may not be a king in my future life, so much the better: I shall nevertheless live an active life and, on top of it, earn less ingratitude.
   – Frederick the Great

Chapter 5

It was late in October and the skies were clear and crisp.  The crispness of the air lends to a brightness within Tina making her lighthearted.  Thinking she would enjoy the day and make the most of it while she could, Tina set off after class to make her way over to the Law Offices.  Walking into Ralph Gamble’s office, Tina’s intent was to just be a moment to drop off some research she took on for him.  He had a date in court the day after tomorrow and Tina wanted to give him at least a day to review all the information. 

Ralph was seated behind his desk with his suit coat off and his sleeves rolled up.  From the wrinkles in his shirt and the way his tie is loose gives Tina all the clues she needs to know that he’s been at his desk for quite a long while.  Ralph is a big man who still looks like a football player all these years after he was given a football scholarship as a linebacker.  This was the way he paid for his undergrad schooling.  How he kept himself looking so muscular was something Tina could only guess at but he did.  The reason Tina couldn’t guess was because he always seemed to be working.  She did know he had a lovely wife he went home to every night but she had never met her. 

“Hey Ralph I don’t mean to interrupt you but I thought you could use this research before you head into court later this week.” Tina says holding the file out in mid air afraid to lay it down because it may get lost in the chaos that was Ralph’s desk.

Ralph looked up momentarily confused until he came back to the present and recognized Tina.   “Oh hey Tina how you doing?”

Tina has apparently interrupted Ralph from a thick file currently open on his desk.  From past experience Tina knew that Ralph had the ability to immerse himself in the task at hand.  It was an ability he had that Tina admired despite the mountain of work needed to be done.  Ralph had the knack of being able to block it all out.  He could focus all his attentions on the here and now before him.  To take one task at a time so he could move ahead instead of letting the enormity of the tasks before him defeat him before he got started.