7 Comments
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Lisa Marie Mansfield's avatar

Surprise ending to another great story. I appreciate and enjoy every one. Keep them coming Richie. : - )

Curmudg's avatar

Thank you! And as always, thanks for reading.

Curmudg's avatar

Yeah, but it was also a good lesson. Took me a few years to get there…

Emmie's avatar

The revenge twist at the end is absolutely insane. You went in focused on the facts, trademark, history, continuous use.and it turns out none of that mattered as much as an attorney with a personal vendetta and the ability to weaponize emotion in front of a jury.

What strikes me most is how often this plays out in organizational work, not just courtrooms. We build cases based on data, logic, policy. We think if we're thorough enough, prepared enough, the "right" answer will win. And then someone shifts the narrative entirely, makes it about power dynamics, personalities, who the villain is, and suddenly you're defending something you didn't even know was on trial.

Your point about paying attention resonates. I've sat in enough partnership meetings and strategic planning sessions where the undercurrent mattered more than the agenda, and I missed it because I was too focused on being "right." The lesson isn't just about backup plans. It's about recognizing when the game has changed underneath you.

Curmudg's avatar

That wasn’t exactly the word I chose at the time. 🤭