I now pronounce you “Mom and Dad”

If you don’t remember my post on the wonderful Rick, the “Judicial Case Manager” at the courthouse, the one I said this about … “He was so sincere, so empathetic, it was this strange but strong connection, this flash of recognition” then go read it now. It is the second half of this post. Go read or re-read it, it’s important background.

Go. Read it. I’ll wait …

Now we can continue …

Several times last night and this morning I explained to Pearlsky that we were going to see a man in a fancy building and he was going to agree that mom and me would stay her parents forever! I don’t really know what she understands, I did not know if the judge would even talk to her, but I needed her to hear something. She appeared happy. (I told you she was not too bright)

Pearlsky, her mom, and I were on our way to the court house this morning to finally get official guardianship and all I kept thinking was what my close friend MDB told me last night …

Whatever you do, when you and your ex are in front of a judge, just don’t say “I do”

That was my mantra the entire trip. We get to the courthouse and wait in line to go through security. I push Pearlsky through the magnetometer and the security guy asks me to “open the main compartment of her backpack.” He checked that pocket, but not the smaller pocket, in front of the main one and more obvious, that has a combination lock keeping it closed! That’s the one where I keep the incendiary devices, such as her epi-pen and Diastat. But I digress …

We get to the clerk’s office. I see Rick in the back (remember Rick? you just re-read that post!) and caught his eye. He came over, seemingly remembered me, I introduced my ex and Pearlsky. He took our guardianship paperwork, came back with his paperwork, and told us to wait outside courtroom 3, he would meet us there. The court was very large and packed, we spent 10 minutes listening to some woman’s female lawyer berate some guy for not paying support, etc. Rick showed up in about ten minutes and he went in. He then came out and told us to go wait in courtroom 1, a very small (living room sized) totally empty courtroom. Rick came in and went through a door behind the judge’s bench. He came back in about two minutes … with the judge from courtroom 3! A bailiff came in as well and said …

All rise!

The judge gave him a dirty look. My ex and I were already standing, the only one in the entire room sitting was … yes … Pearlsky. And yes, I refrained from commenting, the guy had a gun.

“What’s your name?” he asked my ex. Then he asked me … “Single Dad, blogger extraordinaire” or something like that. He then turned to Rick and asked if all was in order, Rick said “yes,” and the judge signed the papers, looked at us and smiled. Then the bailiff said …

All rise!

And Rick laughed. The judge and bailiff left, Rick said “I’ll meet you back in the clerk’s office.”

He gave us four official raised-stamp copies of the paperwork. I asked him if he had kids, all he said was “a son.” I was wondering if he would say a disabled kid or something, still curious about his wonderful empathy. I thanked him for all his great considerations and we turned to leave.

Nice to meet you, Pearlsky.

He honestly said that. Called her by name. I was floored.

Pearlsky is now stuck with me for a long time.

That was not the only good thing today. I promise you, my next post is titled “I Love Nurses,” honestly. Stay tuned to find out why …