The Ups and Downs

I'm on trial this week, which means that my emotions change every hour. They shift from feeling like I hit a home run to win a World Series to feeling like my dog just died and I lost my home. It's the nature of trial. One witness pushes the case forward and another moves it backward. They key is to act like every piece of evidence and word uttered is expected. Don't show the exultation or fear.

After Monday's testimony, I turned to my co-counsel and said, "Well, we can put today in the win column for the good guys." What was I thinking? Who am I to tempt the trial gods like that? As the witnesses continued through Tuesday and today, that creeping fear seeped in. That fear that the case is slipping away, no matter what we do about it. Witnesses were pushing us backwards instead of towards the goal.

We haven't won any of the other days' testimony since my remark. When will I learn to not celebrate the high points before the verdict is in? Stay tuned for how this shakes out.

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