A few days ago, I wrote a little bit about the fact that I was running into problems with the Supreme Court of Ohio because my background check was not yet completed. I think I rather graphically described the Character & Fitness process for you.

Well, the saga continued, and, happily, concluded, today. It didn't appear it was going to, at first. It started with a phone call from the lawyer's office who needs to do the character office. She left a message for me. Now, when I saw her number, I just knew the thing was resolved. I excitedly called her and said, "Shelly, please tell me that the character and fitness thing is there."

She replied, "I hate what I have to tell you."

When you hear that, in my experience, it's generally bad news a-comin'.

"Well, I talked to the Supreme Court, and we're running into a time problem." (You think I hadn't thought this through? The stuff has to be sent from Wisconsin or whatever godforsaken place NCBE has its fortress to Columbus, then from Columbus to Oak Harbor, then from Oak Harbor to Columbus, all in the space of a week.) "If they get it today or tomorrow, it should be okay, but beyond that, things could be difficult. And I asked her when the next opportunity was for you to take the bar, and she said not 'till February." (This, too, I am fully cognizant of, although I hope this turns out to be useless trivia.)

"But," she concluded mournfully, "it's not looking good."

OK, this is not taking the bar exam for six months, not cancer killing me. Of course, this is a perspective which I have about nine hours after the event in question; I don't recall it exactly being there then.

Right then, and I swear I am not making this up, it started to rain. Buckets.

Honestly, I didn't panic. I am of an optimistic disposition anyway, and for some reason, I just thought things would be fine. (No laughing from the peanut gallery.) I didn't have a whole lot to go on; my biggest hope was that someone at NCBE would talk to me, which I had been advised was not something I should pin a lot of hope on. Nonetheless, I dialed. Got an operator. Gave her my name. She put me on hold. (Their hold was one of these incredibly annoying things with two beeps to both remind you you're on hold and annoy the dickens out of you.) Got another person. Gave her my name. She decided I needed to talk to someone else. Put me on hold. More annoying beeps.

Finally got a woman by the name of Janet Riley. Now, I'd been warned NCBE talking to you is really the luck of the draw. And fortunately, I got the luck of the draw today. As it turned out, they had everything they needed -- they hadn't checked to see this, lately -- hello!!! -- and are sending it overnight to Columbus. Who will send it overnight to Oak Harbor. Where I will be interro -- er, interviewed. And they will send it back to Columbus. And all will be well.

What? Oh, yeah, I still have to pass the test.

For something completely different, here's a good idea: a group of conservatives want to take David Souter's house and make it into a hotel. We can do that now, y'know.

Meanwhile, here's a terrible one: Jude Wanniski wants President Bush to make Clarence Thomas Chief Justice of the United States. Uh, where to begin on that one? I think I'll go have a Coke. No, on second thought, I won't.