Trial team log - day two

So we got stranded in Detroit last night. People in Omaha had assured us that our luggage followed us to Minnesota and would find us in Detroit. People also told us that someone from the airline would meet us at the luggage claim carousel to arrange a hotel for us.

No such luck, of course. Our baggage wasn't there and no one was there to meet us. All of us made a series of calls - to family members to assure them that we were somewhere safe, and to see about getting hotels. Melilli totally went to bat on our behalf, but the first lady who was at the desk was utterly unhelpful. The second lady was very nice and we ended up getting vouchers for a room at a lovely hotel and for a meal.

We only got about three hours of sleep and had breakfast here at the airport. We may have to compete in jeans and tshirts, but we are going to go and fight and win. And hope our luggage arrives later today.

Last night I talked to my parents, Daniel, and Ericka. It was wonderful to hear their voices, and they were pretty awesome about talking to me and being sympathetic and encouraging. I have the best friends and family ever.

8:54 am: we made it to Buffalo. The scene here is familiar to the one in Detroit. We linger outside the lost baggage room while Melilli looms over airline employees and we gaze anxiously at other people's luggage and wish that it was ours. So far no luck. Attorneys in jeans it is. Even though I do have my suits, I will remain looking like a teenager as a matter of team solidarity. It's a good thing that Melilli knows the judge who runs the competition. Here's to us owning Georgia as proxy retribution against Delta, which has it's HQ in Atlanta. Yes, even law students and their professors can be petty.

9:49 am: so we made it to the hotel all right. We had to jam illegally into a taxi and I ended up sitting on Vanessa's lap and a round of bad Virginia Res jokes ensued. Our cabbie was, just like in the movies, Middle Eastern, but he was friendly and informative and, no, he didn't smell bad. We're going to see if Chelsea can't fit into one of my suits since the prosecution goes today. Hopefully Melilli's judge friend will have things sorted out for us for our round today. I need to commune with my witness before our round. Here's to taking names. Our hotel is really nice, though; women on one floor and men on the other. Dress up Chelsea, here we come!

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Trial team log day two continued

So we made it through our first day, which Melilli says is the hardest. We made it to the hotel and Dan and Melilli went to the coaches' meeting while we girls decided whether or not Chelsea should dress up. We ended up deciding to all go in jeans as a matter of team solidarity.

The security line felt ridiculously long, but we made it through and saw the other team. All of the other teams have been really nice about us looking like hobos, and the Georgia team let us borrow their exhibit on direct. People have been nice about everything, although one older juror/evaluator said we were from School Scruffy. I confess, I really didn't think much of my role as a witness until I realized that Dan and I were the first ones to perform after Chelsea did her thing. And she totally rocked her opening. It was interesting to hear what opposing counsel's theory was , although the defense opening seemed a little too argumentative for their own good.

( Now, for the meat of the trial... )

After the trial we met one of Melilli's friends who is a sheriff at the court and protects Melilli's judge friend. We walked back to the hotel and checked to see if our luggage had come in, which it had not. We had a review on the trial and then went to dinner down at the hotel restaurant. We each had the buffet and then we had a floor show. And by floor show I mean we got to see Chelsea lose it over the phone at the baggage claim person. Man. It was entertaining as he'll and also scary.

But we got luggage. Vanessa and Dan's suitcases came, so after I let Chelsea borrow one of my suits we will all be ready for trial tomorrow and dressed like real lawyers. Hopefully our big shiny exhibit will be ready in time for our prosecution trial tomorrow afternoon. It has been a crazy couple of days, though.

( On a bizarre note )

It's been a crazy day. And I am tired. So it is time to sleep.

Go team J.

Note: it's not easy to edit posts from my phone. Otherwise, I'd just have one post per day. Melilli is OCD and full of bad puns, but he has been a great coach.

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