There is a need for a little relief from the tedious studying required of all law students. Mere got some recently around Halloween time. Some friends from old haunt [pardon the pun], the University of Minnesota - Morris, visited Grand Forks and posed for these shots.
Future lawyers get serious. Mere's classmates got together to show off their costumery.
In early November, I drove to Grand Forks to conduct some training for social workers through UND's Children & Family Services Training Center. While there, Mere and I had a great meal at the Toasted Frog, a new restaurant in downtown Grand Forks.
Mere had mahi-mahi and I had a pheasant lavosh. Both were delicious. Lots of "old" people eat there, I was told, so I felt quite comfortable, thank you. I was informed there is a martini bar a few doors down but time and circumstances prevented a visit to check it out--maybe next spring, when I return to the city.
I also got to see Mere's apartment where I unloaded a cooler full of home-cooked meals courtesy of my spouse. As we walked down the hallway, Mere described the tenants living behind the doors. It seemed to me that the building was akin to the United Nations with Japanese and Arabic names across the hall.
Reminds me of an administrative hearing I conducted recently. A man with a Hispanic surname was arrested for DUI and offered a blood test. Under state law, if a motorist refuses such a test and there are reasonable grounds to believe s/he has been drinking and driving, the motorist loses driving privileges for one year. The attorney for the Hispanic cross-examined the arresting officer and wanted him to concede that his client may not have understood English well enough to comprehend the officer's request for a blood test. In response, the officer said, "I told him that the failure to submit to a chemical test could result in the loss of his driving privileges for up to four years." "You knew from his looks and his accent that he was Hispanic, right?" the lawyers asked. "Yes," the officer replied. "So how do you know he understood what you told him?" the attorney continued. "Well, because he said 'I ain't taking no fucking blood test,'" the officer answered.
Game, set, match.
For earlier web pages on Mere's life in Grand Forks, click here.