How to Take a Deposition - Preparation

• Author: Kenneth P. Nolan
• Pages: 41-48

How to Take a

Deposition—Preparation

41

It’s not your fault. It really isn’t. As usual, we’re to blame. After

all, since birth we’ve scripted your lives with play dates, dance and

tennis lessons, lacrosse and debate camps. If you didn’t know how

to do something, we’d hire someone to teach you. If you’re no good

at basketball or baseball, try hockey, soccer, golf, swimming—sports

where suburban kids can excel. Failure was anathema. An 80 in

biology? Hire a tutor, change classes or schools.

In P.S. 102 where my wife teaches, there’s an Award Day at the

end of the year. Great fun. Except now every student must receive

an award. And teachers are not permitted to correct homework or

tests with a red pen. Red ink must be really bad, as George Carlin

would say.

“I’m not pickin’ you. You stink!” Joe Kelly would scream as he

looked some poor mug in the eye when we chose up for a stickball

game. “The only reason we’re letting you play is because it’s your

ball. You throw like a girl, you run like a retard, you can’t catch.” In

the Brooklyn of my youth, you were told your faults—and to your

face. Jackie Fats, Chubby Hopkins, Chin Grewshaw. And those were

the nice nicknames. “Hey, Mrs. Nolan, could you lend me 10 bucks?”

the local harmless ne’er-do-well asked my 87-year-old mother. “Cut

your hair, Georgie, and get a job,” was her immediate and loud

response.