Waiting for The Call

The morning that my friends and I were packing up to leave Cape Cod and head home, Scott sent me a text message telling me that the governor had "called a special session." After saying a few choice words, I called Lisa to get the scoop. Not so fast, she said. All the governor has said is that he's going to call a special session. *Big* difference!

I know that sounds like semantics to all normal people whose lives aren't affected by 138 legislators meeting in Frankfort, but for those of us in the business, we know one doesn't equate the other. You see, there's a difference between "calling a special session" and "issuing the call for a special session." The "call" is the actual piece of paper that the governor must file with the secretary of state on which the governor spells out the day the special session will start and the specific topics that the legislature is allowed to consider. The "call" is what's really important to those of us who work here, because up until that piece of paper is filed, everything is open to change and compromise.

I've been back for 14 days now, and guess what? No call has been issued yet. Rumors are running rampant about when the special session will start. Co-workers are holding their collective breaths, hoping that their summer vacation will miraculously not be ruined by the requirements of their jobs. That's right, if there's a special session, people end up usually having to cancel all of their plans. And the worst part of that is, unless the area of law you work with is directly being considered by the legislature during the session, you really don't have much work that relates to the session at all. Needless to say, we know it's part of the job, and most of us really like our jobs (as I do), but the possibility of a special session is probably our least favorite part of the job because you just never know when one will pop up.

So I'm still holding my breath, too, because although I don't have another vacation planned, my friend Kat is *finally* coming to visit me in July (for the first time in 7 years!). And of all the things I've thought we might do while she's here, sitting in my office watching the legislature debate a new law was not one of them!

Oh, the joys of politics!!!