11.25.98

    7:16 a.m.

    I'm up early today. I have a small claims hearing. I'm a little nervous. It's amazing that I could even sleep last night. I'm worried that I don't have enough evidence or that the judge is going to ask stupid questions or that I'm going to prove things which I shouldn't have to prove.

    If you're coming late to the story here's a recap: I worked for a guy, the Vigorous Idiot, for a week and a half. During that time it became obvious that he was absolutely clueless about his business and the running of it. He was a nightmare to work with but I gave it a shot anyway.

    I was working on a website and I kept shuttling comps over his way and he would give me no positive feedback and, in fact, very little feedback at all. He would tell me that he didn't like this or he didn't like that without giving me any indication of what it was that he thought would be likeable. He told me that I was to go by the contract that he put together with the client and do it exactly like that. Well, it was plain that the client had no clue about the web and I suggested that we go back to the client with the comps and guide them through it. He bristled. I told him he was doing a disservice to his clients. He got pissed and threw a little tantrum and told me that he didn't want to work with me and that I should tally up my hours and he'd send me a check that Friday.

    A week and a half later when I had received no check I reminded him and requested payment. He threw an even bigger hissy-fit and said he wouldn't pay because he didn't like my work. And, here we are. Send me good vibes.

— later —

    10:54 a.m.

    Well, it's done for now. I had to wait over three hours before I was heard but I got heard and now the judge is thinking it over. I don't think that's a good sign. The Vigorous Idiot tried to get into a debate over my character and I hope it was painfully obvious what an illiterate, inept boob he is. He was even interrupting the judge. He claimed that to create a website only takes two hours. I replied that if it only took his team two hours to create a site then that was a testament to how awful they were. Someone giggled at that.

    Ergh. I'm so enraged. He's such a dick. He didn't have any evidence to back up his claims, not even a copy of the work I did that was so awful. I told the judge that I knew it was awful but that that was what he specified. I neglected to speak up about things that I should have, though. I've always been thinking this case was about the new site I was creating but he brought up the maintenance one in his little closing and I should have just interrupted him by pointing out that he was using that work. I didn't, though. I was playing good. Damn — I hope it doesn't cost me.

    WHAT A BASTARD!!!!

    I need a beer right now... badly.