My Wild & Crazy Early 1970’s

Born in 1947, I finished law school in 1970, but was still an immature, clueless kid, a dud at job seeking. Finally I interviewed at the State Public Service Commission, not even knowing what the agency did. But a new chairman was reorganizing it, needing a bunch more lawyers. Breathing, I qualified. Moved to Albany from my family home in Queens.

The work initially seemed dull — serving as mouthpiece for staff accountants, engineers, and other experts, in hearings. They’d hand me cross-examination questions for utility company ...