It’s amazing how much one person can change after attending college. He went from being a person who lives strictly by the rules to questioning things. I would have thought he would become the most uptight person I knew, but he’s now kind of liberal. He became interested in Buddhism before I did, which was surprising, given how conservative he seemed. He even became interested in wine. He and I weren’t really friends, but he saved my life. I think now I’d call him a friend because he and I could have the best time just talking and doing nothing.

Neil epitomizes the struggle that every person faces every day. What I love about Neil is that he always tries to do his best and he tries to make other people feel happy. He lives in the moment as much as he can, but like all people, he struggles with emotional problems involving attachment, and he has alluded to other more serious problems. Despite his struggles, during some of the worst times he tried to cheer me up and he always remained calm and stable. I believe that his wife and child are very lucky to be loved by him.

She’s the pants wearing ex-wife of a judge who gives her new husband’s psychological program kickbacks by sentencing defendants before him to that program. She apparently teaches college, which scares me because I would have dreaded to be in a class with a professor like that. She is overbearing and acts as if she knows everything. She also can be catty with other women. Recently a humbling and embarrassing family secret came to light, which I hope will cause her to be more compassionate toward others. I wonder if she’s too afraid to reach out to other women for help.

I have heard that she is supposedly the most down to earth person who works in her position. Personally, I felt like she played games and was dishonest, but then she and I started spending a lot more time together. I still think that she sometimes plays games, but I guess I can tolerate those games more now, especially since she admitted to me that sometimes she plays. Had we met under different circumstances, I think she and I would be good friends. Presently, I doubt we will ever be the type of people who interact socially outside of work.

It is so hard to get one’s mouth to form her last name that everyone simply calls her Trudy. It’s a name uncommon enough that there’s no confusion. She is brilliant in her medical knowledge, although a prosecutor bitter about how great Trudy is angrily quipped, “Come on, you can’t believe her. She could diagnose a ham sandwich.” I mean, if it’s pork and bread and maybe cheese or a little mayo, then can’t we all make that determination? I think what the prosecutor meant to say is Trudy is the epitome of the working woman who can do everything.