The Second to Last Day

Guys, tomorrow is my last day of work for the summer. Tomorrow I say bye bye internship, bye bye Umatilla reservation and bye bye trailer park. How crazy/exciting/almost sad, right? Right.

Today my boss came to the reservation to execute wills and other estate planning documents with me. Well, actually he came into town last night and took me out to the Prodigal Son for a beer and dinner (thanks, boss).

We ended spending a ton of time today with the Tribal Court Judge. I actually did some estate planning work for him while I was here, and he apparently was really impressed. I think that means we’re BFF 4 Lyfe! We even took a picture together today – I’ll post it as soon as Doug FWDs it to me (and don’t worry about a confidentiality breach, Judge J told me that I could advertise that I did his will, and I could send people to him to ask about his experience, seriously BFF status).

We also executed a bunch of wills.

And two of the ladies from the office took me to lunch at a pizza buffet. It was really sweet of them, it made me feel even more welcome here. And to make things better I totally doused my meal in ranch like a fat kid – it was good. I think I probably burned it off tonight at the gym though, so I don’t feel too guilty.

Also here are a few things I’ve learned from working on the reservation (I’ll add more later):

• how to wear/rock heels, everyyy day, even in BFE Oregon
• I love Indians in Cowboy hats
• Everyone knows everyone else on the reservation. It’s crazy. And everyone will say hi to you, even if you don’t know them.
• Old me love me (ok maybe I already knew that, but it was totally re-affirmed)
• Working 8 hour days in a cubical is really tiring
• it’s the little things in life – like toilettes in front of your trailer – that make you the cool kid in the trailer park

Ok that’s all I can think of now. Time for dinz (gotta finish up this bag of safeway select frozen raviolis – the portobello mushroom ones – SO good!).

tribal court judge convos

Last week I met the tribal court Judge here at Umatilla. Apparently he doesn't have a will. My boss made it clear that he is an important connection not only for me, or for the program, but also for the center for Indian Law and Policy and also SU Law as a whole (even though my boss worked with him for years and years when he was an attorney here). No pressure or anything.

Last week when I met the Judge:
Judge: it was my birthday yesterday
Doug and I: happy belated Birthday
Judge: thanks, I got this shirt and this watch... both birthday gifts!!
Me: did your wife or your daughter pick that shirt out for you? (it was a bright salmon colored polo)
Judge: uhh I picked it out myself
Me: Oh nice, I like it a lot, it just doesn't seem like something most guys would pick out on their own.

A little while later:
Judge: a lot of people don't really like the old tribal lawyer in town. I think she just rubs a lot of Indians the wrong way. It's easy to do that. Like you know, with the comment about my shirt earlier. A lot of Indians would hold onto something like that.
Me: I was just kidding... I'm so sorry... I think your shirt is really nice... I didn't mean it that way... (ohmygosh ohmygosh)

Today when I met him to have him sign a release form for me:
Judge: where are you living while you're out here?
Me: the Lucky 7 trailer park... haha
Judge: wait, what? really? How'd you get stuck there?
Me: the tribe just put me there...? I don't know... I'm trying to make the most of it.
Judge: really? ummm... wow... really? have you been ok there?
Me: yeah it has been fine
Judge: no, REALLY. Honestly... have you been ok? Nothing weird has happened to you?
Me: no... I mean it was a little scary at first but I've gotten used to it...
Judge: Be really really careful out there. Some bad things have happened there. I want you to be careful. I'm worried about you out there...

A few minutes later:
Judge: what year in law school are you?
Me: I just finished my 2nd year, so I guess I'm a 3L!
Judge: what do you want to do when you're finished? Do you have a job lined up after this one?
Me: Indian law. No job, do you know of anything?
Judge: Well we're looking for a prosecutor... definitely keep in contact with me

I guess this means that he has forgiven my comment about the shirt?

He also told me I looked nice in my purple dress today. I think this means we're friends. I think this means I WILL get a job after law school (probably not though, I'm just being really optimistic, because I definitely don't want to live here after I graduate anyway). I think this means that old guys love me. Especially old Indian guys. And I also think this might mean that I might have an encounter in my trailer in my last week and a half here (just when I thought things were going to actually be ok - FML)!