The Gentleman Lawyer

Part 2

Squeals and giggles bubbled from the top of the refrigerator box. A longtime Christmas tradition for many years, Papa always secured an empty refrigerator box for Christmas Day wrappings. In many regards, his three daughters held playing in the paper-filled box as more fun than the gifts Santa Claus left under Carol’s elaborate and stylishly decorated Christmas tree. Deprived of this frivolity as a child, a large Christmas tree was one of many things he and his energetic, talented wife—Mama to the girls—would always make sure his children had, if for no other reason than because he did not have these things growing up.

Holidays at the McDonalds always took on epic proportions. With Carol’s never-ending dedication and exquisite taste, no detail was ever too small. Be it Santa Claus’s reindeer that always arrived to celery and carrots left on the roof, to elaborately arranged and displayed gifts straight from Santa’s workshop, or the dining room table dressed to look like something out of a fairy-tale for an exquisite Christmas feast, every aspect of the special day was carefully choreographed. Thanksgiving, Easter, and even New Year’s Eve always received the same intense attention. This was their love; this was their passion. How they always pulled it off despite his heavy schedule was evidence of Jesse and Carol’s love and commitment to their family.

As with his practice of law, his obsession with detail never ended in the courtroom. When his three girls went to summer camp, each was in a different “tribe” marked by different tribal colors of orange, purple, and green. So as to not show partiality to any one daughter, he had a pair of pants made with one purple leg and one orange leg, complete with a green shirt. His white buck shoes and white belt were his only signs of neutrality.

The annual Easter egg hunt was no different. Setting an example for generations to come, Jesse and Carol would stuff three hundred brightly colored plastic eggs with candy and money, then hide them around the yard. A detailed poem written by the Easter bunny in specific rhyme and meter reminded the girls of the rules, set forth the specific number of hidden eggs, and revealed how many of those eggs were golden and filled with money. It also hinted about the three nests—small, medium, and large—stuffed with eggs, dollar bills, chocolate bunnies, and marshmallow chicks. Each girl could claim only one nest. Papa delighted in shouting “Go!” and watching all hell break loose.

All three daughters went to private school. In their senior year, each was handed a list of carefully vetted colleges from which they could choose. Between their senior year in high school and freshman year in college, each daughter spent the summer abroad learning about different cultures and languages.

Just like judges and juries, the girls revered their father. Jesse would leave them notes reminding them of how much he loved them. He regularly took each girl on special daddy-daughter dates. He also created lifelong memories with them while traveling the globe with the whole family. Nothing except God Himself came before his family. When one burned up the engine of her car in college, he put the Chairman of the Board of General Motors on hold during a phone call so he could console her. They lacked for nothing—and he made sure it always stayed that way.

~

As his family expanded through the marriage of his daughters, so, too, did his love for a larger family. The sons he and Carol had always hoped for finally arrived. Time and again he’d remind each son-in-law that he and his wife “loved them like they’d birthed them.” And he meant it.

Though always happy to sit around and visit, action was more Jesse’s style. He and his sons would often go fishing. When the fishing guide put them on some schooling sand bass, they’d quit counting when the bottom of the boat was ankle-deep in fish. He cackled all the way back to shore. Three thirty-two-gallon trash cans and one hundred twenty pounds of ice later, he left the lake with the biggest smile on his face.

Not so when he took the boys to the Louisiana coast though. For two days bad weather had them completely stumped, and Jesse was upset about this. Not to be outdone, and not wanting to admit to his family that they’d been anything but successful, on the way into town they stopped in at the local fish market to fill his empty coolers. Jesse was furious when every fish in the display case was headless. He knew his coastal “fishing tale” had been exposed. His boys may still be laughing about that one.

And then the grandchildren began arriving. The first was heralded by a king-size bedsheet hanging outside Jesse’s tenth-floor office window, professionally painted to read, “TODAY I AM A GRANDFATHER! ASK ME!” The local news didn’t miss the opportunity to celebrate his success.

Not one of his nine grandchildren ever lacked for Papa or Mama’s attention. As if Papa were reliving the childhood he never had, he delighted in spoiling his grandkids with a Nintendo after the game first came out. Lazy afternoons included stops at Captain D’s and then Not Just Pie before going to the local catfish farm where a catch was always assured. They took several train rides to the Peabody Hotel in Memphis to watch the march of the ducks. One favorite was filling the outside fridge with small bottled Coca Colas because they were “easier for the kids to handle, and they taste better.” The annual beach trips were filled with sandcastles, laughter-filled meals, and sunset beach walks. He never missed an opportunity to show off his progeny to friends and acquaintances by parading them through church, the local dinner club, Christmas parties, or the country club. It was never about him; it was always about highlighting someone else or what he could do for others.

With all the love and attention Jesse gave to those he loved, no one was surprised that his nine grandchildren each achieved prominence. Following the example set by Papa and Carol, each understood that they had a responsibility not only to their own families, but to their unique station in life. Their faith was strong. Their commitment was unbreakable. Their love was abundant. And their morality remained unquestioned. Was all of this the legacy of a little boy who came from nothing?

It certainly was.

~

Legends are forged out of consistent behavior over long periods of time. Those who we ultimately come to know as legends almost always start with perfecting little things in their everyday life before moving on to larger challenges. Perfection of small things becomes second nature, while larger challenges incorporate every small detail already learned. Add self-discipline and the repetition of the fundamentals, and reputation often follows.

Jesse McDonald obsessed over the small things of life, incorporating them into his practice of law. He had the discipline to follow those fundamentals to what became predictable results. Before long, others began asking about his methodology, and his reputation began to take on legendary qualities. Soon, he was known as a titan in his chosen field.

When General Motors entered into a joint venture with a Japanese manufacturer, they called Jesse to educate the corporate executives and product engineers on the United States legal system and what their obligations would be by manufacturing in America. He was the one selected among fifty in-house GM attorneys and other major law firm legal counselors and put on retainer in almost every large city across America.

The same thing happened several years later when Isuzu Motors wanted to formulate a plan to combat product design lawsuits. Only this time the contingent of vice presidents and engineers descended on Monroe, where they spent their days learning about the intricacies of United States law, and their nights enjoying the South’s renowned fried chicken and mashed potatoes.

If he were still with us today, Jesse would never think of taking any credit for his own success, deferring instead to the grace of God and the support of his family. Unbeknownst to his brood, he’d recorded himself talking to each family member so they’d have a small piece of him long after he was gone. Here was a man who delighted in the details, and those of us privileged enough to have been around him were always the benefactors.

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