Tough love.

From time to time I like to step away from the routine. Abort the nine to five and drop the pedals to foil the day. I'll consider this day a team building experience with close friends from the routine. Already running late due to AOM's sluggish car which resulted in a jump I kept my fingers crossed as we headed South. I could feel my chances slip through my fingers as we hustled from the park and ride to the train. My anticipation to witness the judge in person diluted the smells of the train and underground maze that guided us to the entrance of NBC tower.

Arriving unscathed with minutes to spare we were quickly escorted to the holding room where we were treated to donut holes, cheap coffee, and Mathis re-runs on a pair of large screens. A scan of the room revealed that we were the minorities in size and attitude. The theme of the day proved to be large and in charge as our plump security guard signaled us to the front of the line. Arthur's "VIP" status proved to be in effect as he was on a first name basis with anyone we passed in the hall including the directors. We made our way through the maze of equipment, past the Springer set, and into the entrance of the court room. The room was smaller than it appears on television and the seating was less than comfortable after four cases but my position was prime. Front row behind the defendant's witness chair will provide me and Pete with valuable face time six weeks from now when the show airs.

The show itself started out a bit slow with a domestic case which resulted in a couple tears and a court order that a fast food employee could afford. Round two showed the "crack fiend" and "crack head" along with numerous other one liners that kept us conversing late into the night. Mid taping had a muscle bound witness escorted out by bailiff Doyle who claims to be a stand up comic. In between cases Doyle would single out audience members with jokes pertaining to the previous case. It was a riot and a bit uncomfortable at times. By mid show Arthur's VIP status shined when we were treated to rice krispie snacks on top of our superb seating. The day started to wind down as we headed over to gyro bar that the AOM frequents while in town. A great blue collar joint that wears its history on it's walls. Besides the 1984 Bears cheerleading poster my faves included a couple large paintings that adorned the Bears/Bulls logo on top of what appeared to be Sitting Bull and Standing Bear. Rumor has it that a "regular" painted these fabulous portrayals. Late night we wandered over to the next watering hole for a couple rounds of cricket and high life. Let's just say we're sticking to pushing pedals and the routine...