Have Baby, Want Case File

If you research for a living you go into a lot of courthouses. Perhaps one of ten of these courthouses is a positive experience. You walk in and it's clean, well-lit, has computers purchased within the past five years and helpful staff.

The rest of the time it's a nightmare. It's hard to even get in to the courthouse, because the metal detector doesn't work. The computers are ancient abacuses with software that makes no sense. The staff...are there even staff? There are a lot of people just milling around behind the counter, but they're not there to, like, sort case files or get what you want. What should be a thirty minute trip turns into a two-hour trip and even then you probably don't get the material you want.

That is, unless you're a man with a baby.

Now let's get the standard disclaimer out of the way. Yes this is all very sexist and wrong. Moms with babies don't get the time of day from your median public servant/clerk/passerby. People see women with children and shrug, or even grumble about noisy kids. No big deal, joys of motherhood, societal role, etc. But a man with a baby, now that's impressive. I don't even have to do anything with the Nonvoter. Just standing there and not accidentally strangling him makes me a paragon of virtue. It's a terrible behavior pattern and it should change.

In the meantime, the Nonvoter is awesome to take to the courthouse. I zip right through, the Opinion Leader gets some time to herself, everyone wins!*

It's a breeze from start to finish. At the metal detector, people wave me through in line. Some of the lawyers even look vaguely guilty while doing it. That's right ambulance chaser, when was your last father-son work day, hmm?  People get out of the always-jammed elevators. They coo and compliment me on my awesome son and parenting while doing so! Yep, there he is, still not murdered, parent of the year right here.

And once I get to the office? The people there help me. They wave me over and look things up themselves. They double and triple check the files I want. They make faces and wave at the Nonvoter while I sort through the files. Hell, once they even offered to make copies for me!

It's like magic. These very same people go right back to staring dully at people behind me and mumbling that they can't read the file request/aren't supposed to give legal advice/are on break the moment I'm on my way.

And I feel slightly bad about it. There's a lot of people there who do need help, help of the getting screwed and needing legal redress variety. And of course, there are a lot of women with kids who don't get the same treatment, particularly in the domestic division- divorce, deadbeat dads, et cetera. It's unfair bordering on heartbreaking.

On the other hand, a three hour trip with the Nonvoter maybe making things difficult for the Opinion Leader has now turned into a one hour trip that the Nonvoter loves. I just have to keep him from chewing on the case files.

*Well except my targets. But they shouldn't have driven drunk/beaten their wives/not paid their taxes/gotten parking tickets and then run for public office to begin with.