I HAD A DREAM...

No, not THAT dream...that was MLK's dream.  This dream was a re-occurring dream that I had back in the late 60's, early 70's.  The dream was in black and white and was structured horizontally, the same way a television screen is formatted.  The dream contained very stark, expansive landscapes, as well as very specific images of people.  I didn't recognize any of the people and I wasn't familiar with the scenics... but they were not in Florida, or within any travel experience I had.  The landscapes were of the West, obvious influence from the cowboy shows I spent so much time watching on TV as a kid.

Cowboy Bob (age 5)

  The dream so impressed me that I actually would sketch the dream images in a little notebook when I woke up and before the distinct pictures evaporated from my memory.  In 1972 I bought my first 35mm camera.  By then I had lost or thrown out my little dream notebook but I had some recollection of the landscapes and the people.  I knew what photographs I wanted to make and threw myself into the process.  I bought the Kodak darkroom guide and taught myself how to develop film and print photos. The most excitement I got out of making, not taking, photographs was the face to face confrontation with people that I would photograph.  I loved to be an outsider that had to figure a way to break into the moment and make a photograph.  Partially directed by my long lost dream notebook,  I photographed, developed film and printed my photos.  I sold some of my work at local, juried art shows, craft fairs, and through word of mouth. 

 that's me on the left....circa 1972
during my starving artist era..

   later on in life when I stepped up to a Hassleblad medium format camera..
this was a full on model shoot for some actual $$$...

YOU GUESSED IT (to be continued)...  

PAU HANA

THE END (of the work week)

" WHO THE CAP FIT, LET THEM WEAR IT"

SALUTE TO BOB MARLEY

WATERGATE FINALE

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THE GREATEST

CASSIUS CLAY A/K/A MUHAMMAD ALI

"It's just a job.  Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up"

 "I'm so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel and was in bed before the room was dark"

"I'll beat him up so bad he'll need a shoehorn to put his hat on"

BALL CAP COLLECTION

WATERGATE (CONTINUED)

My client and his wife were with me in my law office when I received the call from the SAIC asking me to meet with her in my parking lot.  When they asked me what was going on... and why the SAIC  would have asked for a meeting in the garage, I quickly explained that sometimes practicing law meant being able to adapt and adjust to situations as they happen.  They looked dazed so I continued... good lawyers depended on the law and other skills.  Before I skittered down the rabbit hole that led to my career in law, I earned multiple graduate degrees...psychology..fine arts, education...worked on the back of an asphalt truck, was a lifeguard, a school teacher, a dishwasher, etc..I had a good amount of life experience before I started my law practice..( and while I hadn't stayed in a Holiday Inn Express the night before ) I was ready to use everything I had learned, including the fact that people told me I smelled good and dressed great, to get the case worked out... If that meant a weird meeting in my office garage, so be it...My client still  looked confused but seemed to have confidence in my energy and enthusiasm to get him out of the mess he was in..I hurried down to the parking lot and saw the SAIC standing by the barrier wall that was open to downtown Tampa.  We were 6 floors above the city,  it was late,  and the parking lot was almost empty.  She was young and dressed in the usual FBI "uniform"...dark blue pants, jacket, black comfortable-looking shoes, and short hair.  She was trying to strike an aggressive FBI pose as I walked up to her,  but was belied by the most electric blue eyes I had ever seen.  She wasn't really attractive, but her eyes were stunning.  We introduced ourselves and she apologized for the last minute meeting arrangement but said nothing about the uncommon nature of meeting in the garage.  She told me that this case was the first case she was assigned to as SAIC.   After reviewing all the documents, she felt that my client had been a victim of his father's folly and was wrongfully indicted and convicted.  This admission from her without a single word from me.  Wow, my cologne must have really been working...The problem she had was the posture she would have to take in front of the other agents and the AUSA to maintain the sanctity of her elevated SAIC status.  That is why she had avoided attending the earlier meeting in my conference room and wanted to talk to me "off the record".  She told me that she had heard from many of the other agents and AUSA's that I was an honest, straight shooter and could be trusted.     She told me that it was up to me to figure out a way for her to be able to look tough in front of the others but also get rid of the case to the benefit of my client.  I told her I already had a plan and that I would get back to her before the group met again and before the hearing in front of the Magistrate.  We shook hands and I hurried back up the elevator to my office.  Of course I had no plan but now needed to come up with one...and in a hurry.  The AUSA and FBI agents and SAIC were scheduled to meet in my conference room the next day at 11 am.  The hearing before the Magistrate was scheduled for the same afternoon at 2pm...There were some very complicated legal options but all of those required full evidentiary hearings before the Federal District Court Judge...and the case would be assigned to His Honor,  Judge George C. Carr..I had many cases before the Judge and he prefaced almost all of his rulings regarding my various legal pleading meanderings as follows:  "Mr. Polli, your motion is OF COURSE denied!!!
(to be continued)

MY LAW OFFICE

If you are following the Watergate saga, I have mentioned my law office and thought it might be helpful to provide some photos to give you a better idea of the office layout...

my office

 my office

 bronze cowboy looking over his shoulder at the Federal Courthouse

 bronze gunfighter on top of my desk

 my desk

bookcase in my office

 secretary's desk and outer office

 outer office

 reception/waiting room

 

WATERGATE (CONTNUED)

I managed to get the AUSA and a couple of the FBI agents that originally investigated the case against my client's father to meet with us in my office.  We met right after the hearing before the U.S. Magistrate on monday afternoon. During that hearing,  I advised the Magistrate of the meeting and requested another hearing time as soon as her schedule would allow to report the status of the case and our ongoing discussions and negotiations.  I took the opportunity at the hearing to provide the Magistrate with my version of the events that led to the arrest of my client.  The AUSA did not dispute any of the facts or circumstances.  I also took the opportunity of the meeting in my office to bring in an excellent lunch delivered in my conference room.  I knew that both the AUSA and the FBI agents would initially refuse anything but coffee or water.  I also knew that they would not be able to resist the amazing aroma of the fine Italian food from Cafe Piccolo and had the food waiting for us after the hearing.  The combination of the food and the facts, or lack of facts against my client, seemed to do the trick.  I had to figure out how to resolve the case in a way that didn't require multiple trips from Toronto to Tampa, but I also needed to find and meet with the SAIC (special agent in charge).  She was a relatively new agent and not originally involved with the investigation or prosecution of the case many years before.  The fact that she was assigned to be the SAIC bode well for her career with the FBI but maybe not so well with me trying to work the case out to the advantage of my client.  The AUSA and the SAIC were key to resolving the case and the SAIC had proved to be elusive and was evading my attempts to bring her into the discussions.  My client and his new wife were still staying with us even though I was able to have him ROR'd with travel restrictions.  They had no money to stay anyplace else and certainly no money to travel back and forth to resolve or retry the case.  Very late on tuesday afternoon, I received a call from the SAIC asking me to meet her in my office building parking lot.  I didn't ask any questions about the strange place to meet and quickly got into the elevator and headed down to the parking garage. 

(to be continued)    

RIP

Sad news..one of my favorite authors, Elmore Leonard passed away.  He was 87 years old and died of a stroke.  The tv show Justified is adapted from his work and has been a wonderful diversion from the cookie cutter tv drama productions that infect our viewing choices.