“Hey Mel, what’s up.”

“Hey V, how are you? Good to hear from you.”

“Yeah I figured I’d call to check in, see how everything was going.”

“It’s good thanks. What are you up to?”

“I’m at the office, of course. Be here another 4 or 5 hours probably.”

“Ugh, that sucks, I’m sorry.”

“I have to tell you Mel, I really envy you.”

“What?”

“No I mean it. I think what you’re doing is great, I envy it. Seriously.”

Silence

“V, can I be blunt with you for a second?”

“I’m sure you will be whether or not I say yes, so go ahead.”

“Fair enough. What I wanted to say is this: You are good at your job, people there like and respect you, you work for a firm whose name drives law students to literally scale walls just to try and get an interview, you’re making an obscene amount of money, and you’re about to collect a five-figure bonus at age twenty-seven. I am unemployed, quickly heading for broke, I’ve just napalmed bridges to most every legal job, and apparently there is now a poll on the internet asking whether I should be shot and killed. I have to say it’s a little strange, you saying that you envy me.”

“Yeah but you don’t get it. I hate this crap. I’d leave tomorrow. But I don’t have anything else to do. You know what you want to do, you found a talent, you’re passionate about it, and you’re doing it, making it happen.”

“So figure out what you want to do! You’re a hell of a lot smarter than I am. Start looking.”

“How? Where? I work all the time, then I go home and collapse. Time off for ‘finding your passion’ isn’t exactly kosher with the partners’ committee.”

“Figure out a way, V. It’s your life. There is really nothing stopping you from quitting. You think there are all these barriers, but they completely fade away when you look at them differently. I’m not saying leave tomorrow, but don’t just go home and lie in front of the TV at night, get to work doing what you want. I’ve worked my ass off on the blog the past 10 months, it was like getting home at night meant the start of another shift. No reason why you can’t do the same thing.”

“Alright Tony Robbins, I get it.”

“Ha ha, laugh me off. I’m being serious here. Stasis, inertia, they’re powerful things. Don’t let them rule your life. Ok I’ll stop preaching.”

“No you’re right, you’re right. I’ll start thinking about it. Seriously.”

“And I’ll nag you about it ’til you’re sorry you ever called. In the meantime, feel free to treat me to dinner at any point.”

“Cool, will do. We’ll hit Blue Smoke and eat ribs.”

“Assuming you can ever get out of work, of course.”

“Big assumption there. Take care Mel.”

“You too V.”